Absolutely, and without a doubt! (Smile)
Hi Janelle,
Quick question… Unless I’m missing it, I don’t think I’ve received the link for
the March Chess Life. I am a lifetime member, but it occurs to me that maybe,
since I had stopped the print mag years ago, that’s why the link wasn’t sent to
me???
And then regarding accessibility… I believe you’ve heard from David
Rosenkoetter, and you’ve heard from me, and I think we’ve both expressed that
participating in tournaments, per se, has been comfortable; pretty much no muss
no fuss. The TD’s David and I have both dealt with, large and small venues,
have been fine; easy to deal with, no issues as far as rules, accommodations,
etc. However, where the playing field is big time not level is in the
electronic data access. Access to online resources, use of chess engines, those
of us who can’t see to read a chess clock can’t even get a clock that can
handle delay and increment without spending near $200 to get one. And we have
to order it from Spain! And then there is the little item of acquiring a chess
set. For $45, those of us who need an adapted set can get one. The board is
worse than cheap quality, the pieces wobble all over the place and fall over to
the point that I’ve had students give up on trying to learn chess just because
they got so frustrated with trying to feel the positions. Or, for $25 or so, I
can get a non-Staunton design set, pieces about an inch high. But they don’t
wobble—too bad. For a nice chess set, Staunton design pieces, decent-sized
board, we will pay in the neighborhood of $70 or more…plus shipping unless the
vendor agrees not to charge it.
These issues are where the USBCA would like to partner up with USCF, to try to
apply some standardization to web sites and engines so that screenreader users
can use them, to perhaps take advantage of the USCF buying power to purchase
sets in enough quantity to bring down the price a bit. I’ve put out some
feelers to explore these issues with the appropriate USCF folks but haven’t
heard anything back. I have responded Yes to a proposed meeting with Carol
Meyers to talk through some of this stuff. Never heard anything back.
The new slate of USBCA officers are very interested in finding ways to increase
chess activity among blind players.I don’t think I’m speaking out of turn,
though, to say that we could really use some direction and some much closer
interaction with the USCF. We don’t’ want things done for us, we want to take
an active part and know we have the power of the USCF supporting us.
Sincerely,
Jim Thoune, USBCA Board member
(971) 242-9991
From: usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:usbca_chess-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Janelle Losoff
Sent: Saturday, February 29, 2020 3:08 PM
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Re: Fwd: ASCC ACTION : Read Special Accessibility &
Inclusion Issue of Chess Life
Hi all,
Do you think closer, and mutually beneficial relationship between BCA and US
Chess is something you might be interested in?
Janelle
On Sat, Feb 29, 2020, 12:53 PM David Rosenkoetter
<davidrosenkoetter260@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:davidrosenkoetter260@xxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
Hi, Alex.
It's been so long since I subscribed when I reregistered a few years
ago. So, I'll go back and look how to subscribe for you. Thanks for
asking. Hope everything's going well.
David
On 2/29/20, Janelle Losoff <jlosoff@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:jlosoff@xxxxxxxxx> >
wrote:
Dear BCA members,
Thank you. On behalf of the Accessibility and Special Circumstances
Committee of US Chess, thank you for your help and support. I've learned
a lot from you and have yet more to learn. Together we can make chess more
accessible and inclusive for everyone in both organizations.
If you are a US Chess member, you should have received a link to the online
version of the special Accessibility Issue of Chess Life.
If you are NOT a US Chess member and can't read the special Accessibility
edition of Chess Life, let me know. I might be able to get permission to
give you a copy.
Yours in Chess,
Janelle Losoff, Chairman
US Chess Accessibility and Special Circumstances Committee
On Fri, Feb 28, 2020, 4:26 PM David Rosenkoetter <
davidrosenkoetter260@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:davidrosenkoetter260@xxxxxxxxx> >
wrote:
Just got the digital ed. of Chess Life, March in my inbox today. Will
be perusing it in the next couple days. Great work done by the
accessibility committee et al.
David
On 2/28/20, Jim Homme <jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx> >
wrote:
Issue of
Begin forwarded message:
From: James Homme <jim.homme@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:jim.homme@xxxxxxxxxx> >
Date: February 28, 2020 at 7:17:56 PM EST
To: jim Homme <jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx> >
Subject: Fwd: ASCC ACTION : Read Special Accessibility & Inclusion
Chess LifePhil
Begin forwarded message:
From: Janelle Losoff <jlosoff@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:jlosoff@xxxxxxxxx> >
Date: February 28, 2020 at 6:35:25 PM EST
To: Martha Underwood <maudkc@xxxxx <mailto:maudkc@xxxxx> >, Stephanie Berk
<stephanie_berk@xxxxxxx <mailto:stephanie_berk@xxxxxxx> >, Judit Sztaray
<judit.sztaray@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:judit.sztaray@xxxxxxxxx> >,
Steve
Immitt <chesscentr@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:chesscentr@xxxxxxxxx> >,
"garden909@xxxxxxx <mailto:garden909@xxxxxxx> " <garden909@xxxxxxx
<mailto:garden909@xxxxxxx> >,
Simpkins <dechesstutor@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:dechesstutor@xxxxxxxxx> >, JamesChess
Homme <jim.homme@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:jim.homme@xxxxxxxxxx> >,
Michael Aigner <michael@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:michael@xxxxxxxxx> >
Subject: ASCC ACTION : Read Special Accessibility & Inclusion Issue of
LifeMarch
Dear ASCC members,
After 4 years of working quietly on research, policy and accessibilty
guidelines, our committee and our work is front page news. The whole
issue of Chess Life is dedicated to our work! Please check your emailfor a
link from US Chess so you can read it. Be ready to smile and take aour
bow.
If anyone from the press asks you for an interview about our committee,
work or the Guidelines, please refer those journalists to me.report
If you're asked about your own personal stories with disabilties and
accessibilty advocacy work, go ahead and take the interview. Please
back to me the name of the journalist and the publication where thestory is
to appear. This information is needed by Dan Lucas of US ChessWhat
Publications, and by Carol Meyer, our Executive Director.
Thanks again for your support for accessibilty and inclusion in chess.
we do together matters.
Best,
Janelle
