Jeff Altman

First Vice President: Jeff Altman

Jeff Altman of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska said the proposed changes amount to a reduction in bus service.

"I do not wish to have anyone tell me where I may live in this city," he added.

Most people at the hearing opposed route changes that would move bus stops or eliminate shuttles that serve them or elderly and disabled people.

One partially disabled retired veteran said he bought his house 14 years ago to be near the bus route, because he has lung problems and can't walk more than a block-and-a-half to get to the bus stop.His route would disappear under the proposal.

Jeff Altman 2319 Winding Wy.Lincoln NE 68506(402) 489-9458Email Jeff Altman
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1st Vice President - Jeff Altman
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No one, I hope, will doubt the significance of the contributions of blind travel instructors like Jim Walker, Fred Schroeder, Christine Boone, and Jeff Altman in further refining and developing the spirit of Federationism in the guiding theory of "structured discovery learning".
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No one should doubt the impact of publications by SVI staff like Olson, Mettler, and Altman in making this approach a dominant force in training for blind persons.
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Please direct all questions to the editorial staff, Jeff Altman, First Vice President and Co-managing Editor, and Cheryl Livingston, State Treasurer and Co-managing Editor.

Board Member: Jeff Altman

Jeff Altman, the travel instructor at the school, stated in an interview last week with the Times-Herald that most sighted person "Believe that non-visual techniques are always inferior to those based on vision, but in fact the majority of these techniques are equal to visually based ones, and some are even superior."As examples he mentioned the computer with a synthesized voice responder that can be adjusted for speed and also a clicking ruler for measuring.Both of these "alternative techniques" have proven faster in training sessions as well as in practical demonstrations."Unfortunately, the images of blind people in popular culture are not based upon the true experiences of competent, independent blind persons," he emphasized.

"But rather upon the same sort of empathetic efforts to understand blindness by persons that are not blind, which first created the myths and misconceptions now assumed to be the truth."He said that many sighted people believe that somehow when a person loses their sense of vision that other senses almost magically improve to compensate for the loss of vision.Altman said what really happens is that "The blind, as well as all human beings, have a very important quality, that is the ability to adapt.The blind person simply learns to use these normal senses more effectively."

For the complete story, see the print edition of the Times-Herald.

APD Officers Return To Tradition

Jeff Altman, the transportation chairman for the Lincoln chapter of the NationalFederation of the Blind, brought a suggestion he learned of while visiting Albuquerque, N.M., in November.

Instead of extending its hours later into the evening by offering full services, Altman said, he hopes StarTran picks up his proposal to offer a smaller program that still guarantees users a ride home.

With the program, if someone rides one of the last buses of the day, the person could buy a pass from the driver for the regular price, he said.When the person is ready to return home, he can call the dispatcher to send a van to pick him up.

"A lot of us, we don't go places in the evening because we know we're gonna have to turn around and take a cab," Altman said.

Altman's family relies on StarTran, he said.He also uses the bus system in his work as a cane travel instructor.Altman, 44, uses buses to teach visually impaired people to get to places such as grocery stores and downtown appointments.

Though he had ideas about how to improve StarTran's service, Altman praised the department's radio commercials and TV programming.

The new officers are: Nancy Coffman, President; Evelyn Haines, 1st Vice-President; Carlos Servan, 2nd Vice-President; Cheryl Livingston, Secretary; Connie Daly, Treasurer; and Board members Shelly Johns, Jeff Altman, Lloyd Watts, and Ryan Osentowski.
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An article by Lincoln chapter member Jeff Altman titled "Why Should I Use a Cane?"first appeared in News From Blinds Nebraskans several months ago.Jeff is the travel instructor for the Orientation Center at Services for the Visually Impaired.His article now also appears in the March issue of the Braille Monitor.

Jeff Altman, a can travel instructor and resident of Lincoln, and Howard Backous, a former orientation center student and resident of Scottsbluff, gave their views on transportation issues in urban and rural settings.
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Mr. Altman discussed public transportation options available in a larger city and some of the problems encountered by pedestrian travelers.
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Jeff Altman asked."If so, I can show you this nifty way I learned where you can't burn yourself."

"Concerned," he had said.Afraid was more like it.He probably knew that, but concerned did sound kinder and less confrontational.Of course, he knew.He hadn't even paused between the initial question and the offered assistance.
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As I was thanking Jeff for helping me, President Floyd informed me that I was supposed to be at a different table.
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Sitting now between Aloma Bouma and Ardyce Earl, I proudly demonstrated the new skill Jeff had taught me.
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If it doesn't, you may be the one, like Jeff was for me, who releases someone else from fear.
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Others who have served in this capacity are Michael Floyd, Larry Mackey, and Jeff Altman, the current cane-travel instructor.

by Jeff Altman
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Those I would like to mention here are, of course, Carlos Servan, Ryan Osentowski, Barbara Walker, Bob Burns, Lawrence Lee, Gary Doty, Colleen Chandler, Jeff Altman, Jim Nyman, and Fatos Floyd.
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The kind of commitment and dedication that Fatos, Jeff, Mike, Sandy, Mary, Jolene and Cindy is beyond measure and certainly beyond anything they could be compensated for.
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By Jeff Altman
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From the Editor: Jeff Altman is a cane travel instructor at RSVI and currently serves as President of our Lincoln chapter.Here are his thoughts on the use of the word "blind" and what this means to us as Federationists.
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The new officers and board members for this year are: Jeff Altman, President; Ryan Osentowski, First Vice-president; Nancy Coffman, Second Vice-president; Cheryl Livingston, Secretary; Connie Daly, Treasurer; Evelyn Haines, Board Member; Dave Hunt, Board Member; and Carlos Servan, Board Member.

Lincoln Chapter President Jeff Altman has moved (temporarily) to Ruston, Louisiana.Jeff will be studying for a Masters degree in Orientation and Mobility at Louisiana Tech University.We wish Jeff well in his academic endeavors.

CHANGES AT NEBR COMMISSION

We will be seeing a few new faces at the Nebraska Commission.Jane Lansaw will be working as the Travel Instructor at the Orientation Center in Lincoln while Jeff Altman is in Louisiana.