From: Pete Donahue 
Subject: Internet Odyssey Article
such run-away in situations wouldn't  have occurred or could have
been kept under control.  Assuming that someone was willing to
believe in the abilities of the blind and to encourage us to take
on challenging tasks such as putting together an exhibit like the
one we had at the Internet Odyssey.  My energies and creativity
would have been put to constructive uses rather than cause me to
believe that the only way I could amount to something in this World
is if some super person change the course of my life for me.  Such
notions can be damaging to one=FEs life.  It makes a person very
unhappy and causes them to loose their self esteem.  Today I praise
God that we now have a strong Parents of Blind Children
Organization that teaches parents and their blind children in those
early years to ensure that these kids have the opportunity to take
on challenging tasks, and that they will not have to go through
what some of us went through when we were growing up.  As for those
thoughts about super people and all of that since getting involved
in computers and the Internet Odyssey hardly a trace   of it can be
found in my mind now.  Yes it helps to have something constructive
to do with your life most definitely.  The key is finding what
interest you and seeing positive results from the fruits of your
labor.=20
As I said before we all took something away from the Internet
Odyssey and felt good that we were able to make our contribution to
this show a success, but It=FEs only the beginning.
Since the show a number of things have happened as a direct result
of our participation in this event.  For one thing Our chapter now
has a World Wide Web Site: http://www.txdirect.net/users/sdyer/nfb/
and we welcome all you Web Surfers to visit us on-line.
Several of our members are now on the Internet Odyssey Team; the
organization that oversees and organizes the Internet Odyssey and
other events to support this and otherInternet-related projects
here in San antonio.  One of these is installing  computer networks
in local schools so that the students can have access to the net
for educational purposes
  Our work here in san antonio has sparked interest in Having a
similar show in El Paso.  We have all ready contacted members of
our Greater El paso Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind
of Texas about this proposed event and they are excited about
participating in a show in their area similar to ours.  We would
strongly urge all of our local chapters and state affiliates to
participate in computer shows similar to the Internet Odyssey   in
their home areas.  There is a tremendous potential for doing public
educating of computer professionals and amateurs through a show
such as this.  This participation could pay back big dividends for
us in the coming years.  Consider this example.  The Internet
Multi-media Academy is an organization that among other things
teaches school-age students how to design and write computer
software for educational purposes.  We have requested to be a part
of this organization in order to help the kids understand the
necessity for designing their programs so that they are accessible
to, and usable by the blind.  At a recent planning meeting of the
Internet Odyssey team I heard from an individual who told the group
that her son teaches software and web page design, and as a part of
his curriculum his students are required to design their projects
so that they can be accessed by blind persons.  I shared this bit
of good news with those on several Internet Mailing lists that Mary
and I subscribe to and received a message from a Federationist
named Lynn Schneider.  Her message captured the essence of what we
set out to do and what we hope to see happen as a result of our
participation in this event.  Here it is:
Date: Sun, 27 Apr 97 14:36:39zHi
From: lynn.schneider@dol.net
To: pdonahue@texas.net
Subject: Re:They're getting the message
Dear Mr.  Donahue:
I wanted to write this short note thanking you for sending out a
little good news about teaching young people to make web sites
accessible.  I think if kids got into the habit of thinking about
blind and other disabled people when they design their first web
pages, maybe, just maybe they'll get into the habit of doing this,
and then when they grow up to be software developers, we won't have
to fight with them so much to achieve access.  It seems that,
especially as I take my first steps to=20
transition to Windows 95, there isn't much to be optimistic about,
but maybe there is some hope after all.  Thanks for the good news,
and maybe we'll run into each other at this summer's NFB convention
in New Orleans if you're going.  I'm hoping to meet some of the
folks whose posts I see so much in cyberspace, and this will be my
first convention ever.  Take care, and have a great day.
Lynn K.  Schneider As we all know protecting our access to the
Information Superhighway has been a painful, and sometimes futile
one, but as Lynn says in her message there just might be a light at
the end of the tunnel.  Have we in the greater san Antonio Chapter
of the National Federation of the blind of Texas caused that light
to burn just a little bit brighter by taking our concerns to those
who need to hear them the most? Only time will tell.  No, we
haven't solved all of our access problems just by participating in
one computer exhibition, but we have planted the seeds of
knowledge, and understanding of our concerns.  We are excited about
once more participating in this year=FEs Internet Odyssey and we
invite anyone who would like to come to this year=FEs show to attend.
It will be on October 12 and 13 1997 at the Henry B. Gonzalez
Convention center in San antonio Texas.  We'll get out other
information as it becomes available.  It is exciting to know that
we have gained some strong allies in our fight to keep computers
and the Internet accessible to the blind.  Let=FEs spread the good
news that even in cyberspace we are changing what it means to be
blind.
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