3,000 Blind People Arrive in Detroit

Expected to be Largest Disability Conference This Year

DETROIT, June 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following event was announced
today by the National Federation of the Blind:

Event: National Federation of the Blind Annual Convention

Dates: July 3-July 8, 2009

Place: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
400 Renaissance Center
Detroit, Michigan 48243

Attention Editors:

Senator Levin, Representative Dingell, and Martha Reeves to Participate in
March for Independence

At 7:00 a.m. on Monday, July 6, over one thousand blind people will gather in
Detroit for the third annual March for Independence. The Motor City March for
Independence is a 5K march demonstrating the independent spirit of the
nation's organized blind, their friends, family, and supporters. The honorary
chairs of the march are Congressman John Dingell and Detroit Councilwoman
Martha Reeves, who will be participating alongside members of the National
Federation of the Blind from every state in the nation. Senator Carl Levin and
the Honorable Dave McCurdy, President of the Alliance of Automobile
Manufacturers, will also participate. The march will start at the Detroit
Marriott at the Renaissance Center, continue along the beautiful Detroit
RiverWalk, and culminate in an inspiring rally at Rivard Plaza and Pavilion.

Attention Education Editors:

The National Organization of Parents of Blind Children to Hold Braille
Carnival

On Friday, July 3, from 10:15 a.m. to noon, the National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) will hold a Braille carnival for children
ages five to thirteen. Blind youth will participate in a variety of tactile
games that employ Braille in diverse and exciting ways--showing them that
Braille can be educational and fun. The importance of Braille in a blind
child's life cannot be overstated right now, as only 10 percent of blind
children are learning Braille, thus leaving 90 percent functionally
illiterate.

Other exciting events for blind children and their parents will be held
throughout the week. On Friday, July 3, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., NOPBC will be
holding hands-on chemistry experiments for blind youth, ages kindergarten
through twelfth grade.

Founded in 1983, the NOPBC is a national membership organization of parents
and friends of blind children reaching out to each other to provide vital
support, encouragement, and information. There are over three thousand
members in all fifty states and divisions or parent contacts in about thirty
states plus Puerto Rico.

Attention Technology Editors:

New Features of Groundbreaking Reading Service NFB-NEWSLINE(R) to Be
Demonstrated at Convention

NFB-NEWSLINE(R), the largest electronic newspaper service for blind and
disabled persons in the world, offers over 275 newspapers and magazines as
well as TV listings to over 65,000 subscribers through a standard touch-tone
telephone--or on the web.

In March 2009, NFB-NEWSLINE(R) Online was launched, giving subscribers even
more options for accessing their favorite publications. In conjunction with
NFB-NEWSLINE(R) Online, another new feature was added to enhance the
subscriber's experience online: Web News on Demand.

Through the easy-to-use Web News on Demand feature, subscribers can, for the
first time ever, visit a secure Web site that offers a customizable reading
experience and the ability to send entire publications, particular sections,
or single articles to their e-mail inbox.

Another new addition to the service, NFB- NEWSLINE(R) In Your Pocket, is a
dynamic software application that a subscriber installs on his or her
computer. Through an Internet connection, this software automatically
downloads the publications of the subscriber's choice to his or her portable
digital talking book player (such as the Victor Reader Stream or
Icon/Braille+).

These groundbreaking new features will be demonstrated at the convention all
day on Friday, July 3, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and on Saturday, July 4,
from 3:00. to 10:00 p.m.

Attention Sports and Life Style Editors:

Award-winning Device for Blind Swimmers to Be Demonstrated at Convention

As part of the program of the NFB's Sports and Recreation Division, many
different sporting events will be held at the national convention. Blind
people are often told they cannot participate in physical activities such as
swimming, and the Sports and Recreation Division works to dispel that
misconception with exciting activities throughout the convention.

On Friday, July 3, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m., University of Notre Dame Swim Coach
Annie Sawicki, part of the AdapTap team that designed an award-winning device
for blind swimmers, will conduct a swimming workshop. The AdapTap device is a
guidance network of in-water touch rods (Tappers) attached to pool lane
markers in order to allow blind swimmers to maintain awareness of their
proximity to lane side and end boundaries. The Tappers' strategic placement,
flexibility, and soft tactile ends are intended to painlessly guide blind
swimmers, improving pool safety and enhancing swimmer performance during
recreational and competitive pool swimming.

NOTE: The entire convention agenda is available at www.nfb.org.

SOURCE National Federation of the Blind

Chris Danielsen, Director of Public Relations of the National Federation of
the Blind, +1-410-659-9314, extension 2330, +1-410-262-1281 (Cell),
cdanielsen@nfb.org