Travel back in time at the 3rd largest living history museum in the United States, the Genesee Country Village & Museum. You will be immersed into the 19th century as you explore this living, breathing historic village. Guests will spend the day interacting and learning through hands-on activities and experiences, tasting, touching, and smelling your way through history. Activities include: period dressed, knowledgeable interpreters escorting you through the entire village on a guided trolley tour. Visiting our state of the art facility, the John. L. Wehle Gallery where you will be welcomed by our Lead Curator, Patricia Tice before experiencing our 'Working like a Dog' exhibit as well as our 'Victoria's Closet' exhibit to learn about the fashion and the origins of these extraordinary garments — maybe even trying them on. During lunch you will also have the chance to taste 19th-century beer recipes, as well as Heritage Chocolate recipes! Don't miss out on this unique and engaging experience at Genesee Country Village & Museum! There will be time to visit the gift shop and bakery.

Climb on board and enjoy a narrated tour of the rich history of the "Flower City" You will hear about Rochester's rich history and learn about its famous people and places. No stopping.

Join your pals on a narrated three hour Erie Canal boat cruise. Our group will take over the entire boat, the colonial Belle. We will be served a plated dinner with a cash bar available. Explore the Erie canal including a trip through the famous locks. There will be times during the tour when everyone will be asked to sit down, as the song says "Low bridge, ev'rybody down". What a great start to convention week; if you take the Genessee choose one.

Travel to Cooperstown and the Baseball Hall of Fame. You will be able to touch the plaques of each player selected for the Hall of Fame. Enjoy a hands-on tour of uniforms, bats, gloves, balls and other gear used throughout the years. Listen to recordings of famous moments in baseball history including Hank Aaron's 755th home run, Jackie Robinson's appearance on first base for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Lou Gehrig's farewell speech. We'll sit-down to share a movie showing many of the baseball greats and their reactions to the game; this movie will bring a smile to your face and a tear to your eye. The tour will include time for souvenir shopping. The bus ride will be long but we will keep you entertained with audio and video clips, games and snacks.

Boxed breakfast and a late afternoon meal included.

After kicking off the morning with quiche, join us for a lively game of "Out-Of-Sight Jeopardy," redesigned with blindness-related categories and questions. Then, meet Marty Schultz who will give us information about his Blindfold Games and ObjectiveEd, which publishes educational games that are especially designed for blind and visually impaired students in Grades K-12. The AABT Business Meeting will follow.

Start your convention in high gear by learning how Aira has assisted individuals to master the job-seeking challenge. From formatting your resume, proofreading your cover letter and submitting your application, to matching your attire, and traveling to the interview, this session will present strategies for using Aira to find employment.  Hear from Aira staff and Explorers about Aira’s Employment Program, an Aira initiative to provide free service to Aira Explorers who are undertaking any task related to finding work. The session will also include a brief overview of Aira’s program for students, as well as our support for small business owners. We are pleased to partner with the American Council of the Blind to lower the unacceptable unemployment rate among the blind from 70% to under 7%. Join us and find out how to make the dream real.

Join Douglas Gerry from Vispero and learn all the latest details on JAWS, Fusion, and ZoomText with demonstrations and discussions of the 2019 releases. We will also look at how well JAWS is already working with the new Chromium Edge Browser from Microsoft scheduled to be released in the coming months. The first 50 attendees will be provided a 50% discount code for the Home Annual License of their choice.

Compete for prizes as you follow clues and answer questions as you go around the hotel and try to be the first one back. PARTICIPANTS must be braille readers and writers and must have some way to record answers.

Session 1: Brian Charlson will give an update on the activities of the IAC over the past 12 months.

Session 2: Ray Campbell will discuss "What do I say" when I need help on a website.

Session 3: Peter Korn from Amazon will discuss devices and services from the company that brought us Fire TV, Alexa and much more. Session 4: Blindfold Games/ObjectiveEd developer Marty Schultz will discuss the over 50 accessible iOS games from Blindfold Games.

Find inspiration on how people use Aira every day to accomplish tasks and do more at work, impressing their bosses along the way. Learn pro-tips for office efficiency, hear what others use Aira for in their day-to-day work life, and get a chance to speak with the Aira team about how to bring Aira into your workplace as a reasonable accommodation for you or for a group of blind employees through our Employer Access program. Aira and employment – a dynamic duo.

Whether you choose to streamline your Google experience with a Polaris, optimize your workflow with a QBraille XL, or enjoy the smoothest reading experience on an Actilino, the HIMS Team has your back. If you choose a bulky device with a built-in screen to accommodate the sight dependent people in your life, we celebrate that you can make that choice. Choice drives innovation, and HIMS has many innovations to choose from. Check out what we're about. Excellent choice!

CEC Portion of RSVA Program (1:30 PM to 5:30 PM).

CEC Portion of RSVA Program (1:30 PM to 5:30 PM).

Speakers will discuss the challenges pedestrians are facing when they approach the curbside. With the rapidly growing numbers of EBikes and EScooters crowding our sidewalks, and the increasing numbers of Ubers and Lyfts picking up and dropping off passengers, space near the curb on most streets is becoming cluttered and difficult to navigate. Factor in silent cars, a growing number of autonomous vehicles, new intersection designs and increasingly complex traffic signalization, and the pedestrian environment is becoming downright dangerous. Man, it's a jungle out there!

CEC Portion of RSVA Program (1:30 PM to 5:30 PM).

First convention? Back after a long time? This is for you. Get tips on dealing with the relief areas, other guide teams, canes, finding help, and conquering convention chaos!

Celebrate fifty years of acheivement and advocacy.

A living history presentation by AKWAABA, Rochester residents who are accomplished educators, social workers, and healthcare professionals. Focus on Frederick Douglas and the Underground Railroad, including historical figures Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Harriett Tubman and a person heading to freedom on the Underground Railroad.

JELL-O GALLERY: Discover the intriguing story of Jell-O America's most famous dessert invented in 1897. Why did the inventor sell his rights to Jell-O and who bought the rights and made millions of dollars? What happened to the Jell-O factory in LeRoy? What do brain waves and Jell-O have in common? There is also a great gift shop with lots of Jell-O branded items and memorabilia.

LEROY HOUSE: This is the home of the founders of LeRoy NY. You will find out why they came from New York City and settled here. Displays include an 1830's open hearth kitchen, a 1930's kitchen, land office sitting rooms and the LeRoy family bedrooms. It has a large back porch and beautiful gardens.

TRANSPORTATION EXHIBIT (On the Road): The Transportation Exhibit is in the basement of the Jell-O Gallery and houses eleven vehicles. The exhibit starts with an ox cart and finishes with a 1908 Cadillac that was driven by a woman in LeRoy. You will also have the opportunity to see and touch sleighs and horse drawn carriages. The tour does not include lunch, grab a bite from the ACB Café before boarding the bus. We will stop for dinner on the way back to the hotel.

A discussion of notetakers, their features, and which one is right for you.

This interactive workshop will provide hands-on opportunities to have some fun mixing tracks of a familiar song using accessible hardware and software. Presenter: Derek Lane, Audio Engineer, Morganton, NC.

CEC Portion of LUA Program (1:15 PM to 4:00 PM).

Learn all about the latest in braille display technology. Bring your questions for the question and answer time to follow the presentation. Cosponsored by ACBS and BITS.

There are several ways of working with your Vocational Rehabilitation agency to start your business, whether it is running a food service facility or starting your own business from scratch. This panel will discuss multiple resources for pursuing your dream. Co-sponsored by Rehabilitation Issues Task Force, BPI, IVIE, RSVA.

CEC Portion of AAVIA Program (1:15 PM to 5:30 PM).

CEC Portion of LUA Program (1:15 PM to 4:00 PM).

Sponsored by IAC, this session is intended to help Voiceover users take the frustration out of inputting text on their iPhones and iPads. Based on Judy Dixon's recent bestselling book, "Writing Your Way: Composing and Editing on an iPhone or iPad", Judy will discuss and demonstrate numerous ways of inputting text -- some using the iPhone itself and some using external hardware. Expect to add to the conversation.

Is your affiliate shrinking? Are you tired of the same old conversations about increasing membership, raising more money, and advocating for more services? This session will focus on how to set and meet attainable goals.

Join Aira Chief Experience Officer Amy Bernal and VP of Public Policy & Strategic Initiatives Paul Schroeder, in discussing the impact that Aira Access is making in daily lives. Learn how you can use Aira Access to do more every day and how you can help bring Aira Access to your community to level the playing field for all. You will also hear about Aira’s upcoming promotions, along with the power behind the new free trial, open to anyone who uses Aira for free.

A panel discussion of what is available through the Music Section of NLS and others. We will also explore what recorded music offerings are available from the Library of Congress archives, and how to access it; music software that is accessible; and learn about the current state of braille music notation. Joint session with LUA, FIA, BRL, and IAC.

The BrailleNote Touch + running Android 8.1 is the most modern note taker on the market today. It is the first and only Google-certified Braille tablet that blends powerful and intuitive apps for managing, accessing and creating information from KeySoft with millions of apps that can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. Join us as we review some of the many features and enhancements optimized for a braille user, the exciting new Easy Reader +, or the ability to run modern apps such as Sling TV or SiriusXM. We will also have the opportunity to discuss the Brailliant BI 14. Time will be set aside for your questions and feedback.

Presenter: Marty Klein, blinded veteran, author and long-time yoga practitioner. Learn how to improve body alignment and strength, increase breath awareness, enhance emotional stability, and quiet the mind through simple ancient yoga exercises. Participate in basic movement and breathing exercises, and learn some simple chanting. A CD collection produced by Mr. Klein describing these practices will be available for purchase.

Success of the Victor Reader Trek and Stream marches on into 2019! Join the HumanWare team at the annual Stream User Forum. Share stories and tips on downloading and playing back books and periodicals from favorite websites. Learn what is new with both the Stream and Trek. We will also set aside time for live demonstrations of features as well as time for your questions.

Exiting as always! Full of surprises as usual. Join BPI's famous mixer as we welome members and allies to Rochester.

Writers read their original works to a receptive audience. Moderator: Carla Hayes. Sponsored by FIA.

Every family has a story. Heroes, heroines, saints and villains; they're all there, along with storylines and plots that twist and turn over the years, decades, and centuries, across countries and continents, in ships and on horseback. The key is how to take the cryptic notes from the family Bible and the news clippings in the library archives, the birth and death announcements in yellowed newspapers stored on microfiche, and all the rest and turn it into the story it truly is. At this year's ACB Families Breakfast, ACBF president, Carla Ruschival, will share advice, tips and tricks for turning your family's facts into a sweeping story that will keep your Thanksgiving guests silent and spellbound—which is great when you want to hear the football game.

Learn how our brothers and sisters from around the world benefit by using, reading and writing braille. Our featured speaker will be Fred Schroeder, President of the World Blind Union and former RSA Commissioner, who will be able to share initiatives being taken to advance the interests of braille around the world.

(This tour will require a lot of walking, the gallery is quite large, very echoey and open. You must be able to keep up with the group, there is no seating.) Gift shops. Dinner and cheese making included. The tour does not include lunch. Grab a bite from the ACB Café before boarding the bus.

"Upping Our Game for Services to seniors with Vision Loss." The number of seniors with vision loss is dramatically increasing. We're fighting hard to maintain level funding while funding levels for other senior programs increase. Long-time blindness community advocate Mark Reichert, will address the issue of how we can make our advocacy efforts more successful.

Claire Stanley and Clark Rachfal discuss the importance of advocating for the inclusion of low vision devices as well as diabetic equipment being covered under Medicare.

Speaker, Marty Klein, Blind Veteran, author, and producer of the new documentary Why Can We Serve; inspiring speaker, and a special movie matinee. Blind since 1974, Marty will describe the creative process behind this documentary aimed at preventing suicide among veterans and promoting opportunities for people with disabilities. His audio described film will be shown following the luncheon and Marty will be available afterward for questions and discussion.

Join us as we welcome our international guests and discover the key to nonverbal cultural cues! Have you ever traveled abroad and wondered whether to hug or shake hands, kiss once or twice on the cheek. A panel will discuss cultural differences to help you in your travels.

(This tour involves a lot of walking with minimal places to sit.) Exclusive, hands-on tour of the only museum in the world dedicated to the study of play, and home to the world's largest collection of toys, dolls, games, and video games. Break off into guided groups to explore The Strong - from the world's largest pop-up story book, where you can try to pull King Arthur's sword from the stone or spin the wheel on a whaling boat, to a superhero exhibit where you can try on capes, play a memory game, and be zapped with super strength. Spend 30-minutes in the museum's indoor butterfly garden and get up close to the animals that call it home along with special, tactile encounters hosted by the museum's biologist. After, participate in a hands-on experience with toys from the museum's National Toy Hall of Fame that is led by Chief Curator Chris Bensch, a frequent guest on Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum series. The five-hour experience includes five game tokens to the museum's arcade and pinball exhibits, a ride on the museum's carousel, and a 20% discount in the museum's shop. (The shop will be open exclusively to members of the American Council of the Blind from 5 to 6 pm.) Lunch will be included in this tour.

Hear the facts and issues, beginning with inaccessible technology and leading to discord between the blind employee and the supervisor. See how such a case would be handled in a courtroom. This realistic simulation will provide you with new insights about employment and court proceedings. Sponsored by AAVIA.

A panel discussion on new service delivery approaches to meet the complex needs of seniors suffering recent vision loss. Serving this rapidly growing population with the limited resources available is a major challenge and sharing success stories is extremely useful to improve service delivery nationwide.

CEC Portion of BRL Program (1:15 PM to 4:00 PM).

CEC Portion of RSVA Program (1:15 PM to 5:30 PM).

This is more than a candy tour. Make your own truffles, enjoy a cheese and cracker plate, learn about chocolate making including samples. Gift shop.

This trauma-sensitive yoga workshop/class can be a healing resource for anyone effected by trauma, anxiety, depression or chronic stress through the breath and gentle movement.  Yoga can help us to reestablish a connection to the body, cultivate self-awareness, increase emotional and physical resiliency and become more present in our daily lives.

Have you ever imagined what life would be like in the future? It's 2019 and we are living in a world full of technology. Get ready to learn how to make your home more efficient with innovative devices, and explore how they can make life easier for you. Discover a world you can control with voice commands and smartphone apps. Co-sponsored by CCLVI and Next Generation.

Annie Chiapeta, author and poet and Dr. Herbert Guggenheim, author and poet. This lively, interactive workshop will explore elements of creative writing. Learn basic exercises for creating action, building tension, and generating emotion in fiction, poetry and drama.

Bryan Ward of HKNC will provide an overview on services available through HKNC to people who are deafblind; as well as to professionals working in the field of deaf blindness. Co-sponsored by SASI and Rehabilitation Issues Task Force.

Use braille to play a number of games; prizes will be awarded. See how good you are at braille, word and quick thinking.

Sponsored by IAC, this session will take a look at apps that enable blind persons to get visual assistance using their iPhones. Some of the apps use the phone itself and others connect the blind person to sighted humans who provide assistance through the use of the iPhone's camera. Expect to add to the conversation.

Are you someone who has a combined vision and hearing loss and you are thinking about a cochlear implant? If so, or if you know someone who is; come hear from Phil Jones, ACB member from Georgia, about his experience with the process from evaluation to implant to activation and learning to hear with the processor. Also recommended for professionals who work with those who are DeafBlind. There will be time for questions and answers. Sponosred by SASI.

Susan Glass and Suzanne Ament share stories about their riding experiences and the special relationships that can grow between horses and persons with disabilities. Sponsored by WCC.

CEC Portion of GDUI Program (1:15 PM to 7:00 PM).

Relax and Breathe! Join us for the calm and balance you'll need for a busy convention week. Sponsored by WCC and Recreation Zone.

Join RSVA for an evening of fun at the Casino. All are welcome.

Join National Industries for the Blind for a discussion about challenges and opportunities related to its work to provide employment for people who are blind.

Enjoy fried chicken and begin the day getting to know other blind or low-vision people who either have diabetes or support someone with diabetes.

A representative from H&R Block will speak to us about recent changes to the tax code that effect entrepreneurs and other important tax information that business owners need to know. Business meeting will immediately follow this program.

Susan B. Anthony was famous for saying "agitate, organize, educate." Come learn how she agitated those in power, organized those who wanted equality, and educated the masses about the importance of women's rights. Stand in the front parlor where Susan B. Anthony was arrested for the crime of "voting as a woman," and hear the stories of her partnerships with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Frederick Douglass. Tour the bedrooms belonging to Susan, her sister Mary Stanford Anthony, and their mother. There will be time for shopping in the gift shop. Feel the walls where history happened and leave inspired to keep working for equal rights for all.

The tour does not include lunch. Have lunch at the ACB Cafe prior to boarding the bus as there will not be enough time to eat on the bus.

Do you have questions about the Libre, a glucometer that is accessible to blind and low vision people or wonder if it is something that will work for you. Learn more about the Libre from a panel of knowledgable ACB members.

CEC Portion of ACBDA Program (1:15 PM to 4:00PM).

Certified Life Coach, Gabriel Lopez Kafati will facilitate this empowering WRAP session.   Join in the discussion around the importance of looking for answers from within, whether LGBT, or straight, sighted or vision-impaired.  This session is for you!  Join us in this path of no-judgement where you will be motivated and empowered to become your own beacon in life.

The Memorial Art Gallery (MAG) is Rochester's art museum with a distinguished collection that spans 5,000 years of world art. Guided by individuals in our community who are blind, MAG has developed programs that welcome individuals to touch selected sculpture as well as listen to verbal descriptions of major works of art in the collection. A short concert on the museum's rare 18th century Baroque organ is included.

The tour does not include lunch. Have lunch at the ACB Café prior to boarding the bus as there will not be enough time to eat on the bus.

A discussion of the ABLE Act, with particular emphasis on its potential as a savings vehicle for employed people.

Presenter: James R. Sheldon, Managing Attorney (ret), Neighborhood Legal Services, Buffalo, NY

Go beyond the definition of consent in the abstract and learn how permission applies to women, men, disabled and everyone in between. Join Laura Miller as she guides the discussion and makes us think outside the box when it comes to our daily relationships in work and at play.

CEC Portion of LUA Program (1:15 PM to 4:00 PM).

CEC Portion of GDUI Program (1:15 PM to 7:00 PM).

Come hear about Narrator’s new home, quick start guide, improved reading, improved responsiveness, along with a sneak peek at what is coming for summer insiders, and more.

CEC Portion of GDUI Program (1:15 PM to 7:00 PM).

Interactive sessions to build skills for the audio describer; use of audio description for consumers. Experienced users of description will provide perspective on audio description in a range of formats. Lunch on day 3 only.  Select this session to register for all three days.

Visit the building, meet staff and students and enjoy lunch.

NO visit to Rochester is complete without a visit to the George Eastman Museum. ACB will be given a guided tour of the Kodak founder's 50-room Colonial Revival mansion on a 12.5 acre estate in the city, often described as an ""American Castle."" The historic mansion and gardens at the George Eastman Museum provide a glimpse into the life of one of the greatest American innovators and entertainers in the first decades of the twentieth century. Original furnishings and artifacts, careful reproductions, and beautifully restored landscape transport visitors to the 1900s.

You will learn about Eastman's entrepreneurial spirit and accomplishments as well as his personal interests and philanthropy.

The George Eastman Museum is also a museum of photography and cinema. During our visit we'll have a guided tour of the special exhibit ""The Art of Warner Brothers"" exhibit. Learn how your favorite Warner Brother cartoons were created: Bugs Bunny, Road Runner and Tweety Pie. As a part of this tour we will also be treated to a concert performed on George Eastman's pipe organ.

The tour does not include lunch. Have lunch at the ACB Café prior to boarding the bus as there will not be enough time to eat on the bus.

During this exciting workshop we will navigate around the most popular LGBT apps.  Learn about and share the trendiest apps for the LGBT community from dating to events, health information and more.  We will cover practicle uses, etiquette and of course accessibility.

This is more than a candy tour. Make your own truffles, enjoy a cheese and cracker plate, learn about chocolate making including samples. Gift shop.

No one size fits all readers - Some like print, others braille, still others digital cartridge, email and podcasts. At the 2019 BOP Writer's Workshop, BOP members Deb Cook Lewis and Susan Glass will describe the many-pronged approach the BOP has taken for ensuring that there is a format for every Braille Forum and E-Forum reader. They will also share ideas that individuals and affiliates can use for making local newsletters and other materials available in audio, digital and other formats. This will be a hands-on workshop where you can transform the BOP's lessons into practical strategies you can use to increase the scope and reach of your own publications.

When do you use one branch over the other and how do they work? In the U.S., we have three distinct branches of the government. How do advocates use these separate entities to advocate for the rights of blind and visually impaired Americans? This hands-on workshop is led by Clark Rachfal, ACB's Director of Advocacy & Governmental Affairs, and Claire Stanley, ACB's Advocacy & Outreach specialist.

It's easier said than done! It's not as simple as finding a job and getting it. We all know the system makes it easier to depend on it than to break free from it. A panel will help you answer important questions, such as: How do I go about saving money in a system that doesn't let me save and what are my rights as I navigate social security policies? Sponsored by the Employment Committee.

Come see and hear about a new Magnifier mouse mode, text that is easier to see, a mouse pointer that is larger and more colorful, along with a sneak peek at what is coming for summer insiders, and more.

Reds & Whites; Best of Both Worlds. A Wine Consultant led wine tasting will give up to 20 guests an opportunity to learn about, experience and order exclusive artisan wines handcrafted and available nowhere else.

Sing away the stress of the convention by learning fun and simple rounds.

The latest Bookshare updates and answers to your Bookshare questions.

So you think you're smarter than a fifth grader or have ambitions to appear on Jeopardy? Then create a team (or allow us to do it for you) and join ACBS and ACB Next Generation for brain busting questions, friends and refreshments, and an exciting raffle!

Learn basic releases from non-threatening situations to handlingsevere assaults. Basic education on personal safety. Pre-requisite: must have attended beginner class.

Interactive sessions to build skills for the audio describer; use of audio description for consumers. Experienced users of description will provide perspective on audio description in a range of formats. Lunch on day 3.

Experience the sensation of one of the wonders of the world on this tour of Niagara Falls. Begin your journey through the woodsy peace of Niagara Falls State Park as you head towards the famous Maid of the Mist Boat ride. Head down nearly 200 feet to the base of the Niagara Gorge, and board the classic boat. Hear the roar of over 600,000 gallons of water per second descend around you in the basin of the Horseshoe Falls. Experience the power of water and wind that makes Niagara so famous as you get up close and personal with the wall of water.

Return to the serene park and arrive at the Niagara Visitor Center to experience "Legends of Niagara." This immersive film experience allows you to take in accounts of the darede vils of Niagara and allows you to feel what it is like to brave mighty Niagara from the safety of your theater seat. During your tour, learn all about the history and scenic wonder of Niagara Falls as our local expert guides provide thorough commentary throughout your journey.

As you enjoy lunch in the park, experience the truly international hub that is Niagara, as tourists from all over the world come to visit the Falls. You'll also hear the sounds of nature, especially nesting gulls in this Audubon designated important bird area.

Finally, head over to the Cave of the Winds. Learn about the history of the Niagara Reservation at the newly-constructed "The World Changed Here" pavilion, before heading down to the classic wooden platforms at the base of the American and Bridal Veil Falls. Feel the power of water as you stand mere feet from the base of the Falls, and the appropriately named "Hurricane Deck."

Box breakfast. Lunch and dinner provided- select the combination of luch and dinner options below.

Rubber shoes in mens and womens sizes must be worn.  Select from sizes listed below.  For half sizes, move up to the next whole size.

Interactive sessions to build skills for the audio describer; use of audio description for consumers. Experienced users of description will provide perspective on audio description in a range of formats. Lunch on day 3.