Dear Lucia,
I have been reading the messages from Lynne, Maria and you and have a few
comments.
In school, students with disabilities are acommodated in resourse
rooms, with special ed teachers that work in a situation where sometimes
students are pulled out of their classroom for special services related
to the needs of their disability, whatever it might be .
Also, in some museums, you can participate in an integrated tour where in
a group of perhaps 12 to 15 with one person is blind there is no problem
allowing for the extra time it takes to describe or feel an object. The
Lower East Side Tenement Museum integrates people with
disabilities...however they also offer specific programs, for
example, with Sign Language interpreters for folks who are deaf or
hard of hearing!
Nothing stops you from going to a museum on your own or with a friend and
taking as much time as you like exploring! Many museums don't have
organized tours for sighted people. They can visit as they choose and
explore whatever they want on their own.
The important point is that now we have many more options to visit and
learn at museums
Best,
Ellen
At 10:34 AM 7/6/2012, you wrote:
Dear Maria, How do they handle it in the school system? Can sme one be at the museum, helping visually impaired persons, right in the same room, with the sighted people who wish to tour the museum? Why not work alongside sighted peers? Just a thought, Maria. Stay well and stay I n touch. Give my best to Lynne. Best, Lucia
From: infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Maria
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2012 10:20 AM
To: infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [infoshare] Re: touchtour at theReuben Museum
Lucia,
If there were 20 visually impaired people, each needing to touch or have objects described, can you imagine how long that would take? Do you think a group of sighted people are going to wait around for ½ to 1 hour while we touch and have things describe to us, while they can finish a tour in 10 or 20 minutes? Not likely.
This said, no one is going to force you to participate in a touch tour if you don?t want to. So, why put down an experience from which many of us get such enjoyment, pleasure and knowledge
Maria
From: infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Marett, Lucia (ACS)
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2012 9:55 AM
To: 'infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [infoshare] Re: touchtour at theReuben Museum
Dear Maria, Well then, why not touch the statues in an environment with sighted people present? Why not mainstream? This occurs in the public schools. Why not at museums? Best regards, lucia
From: infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Maria
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2012 9:38 AM
To: infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [infoshare] Re: touchtour at theReuben Museum
Dear Lucia,
First, touch tours are set up so that those visually impaired people who wish to attend may do so in an environment in which it will be easier for us to have more time and attention to our questions, Etc., regarding the art on display.
Secondly, Sighted folks are not allowed to touch the art because they have 20/20 vision and therefore do not need to do so. We, on the otherhand, rely on the sense of touch to better understand the intricacies of what is being described , and the descriptive help of museum educators helps us to better conceptualize pictures, statues, Etc.
Sincerely,
Maria
From: infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [ mailto:infoshare-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Marett, Lucia (ACS)
Sent: Friday, July 06, 2012 7:47 AM
To: 'Infoshare@xxxxxxxxxxxxx'
Subject: [infoshare] touchtour at theReuben Museum
Dear Infoshare listers, I feel very uneasy as per these touchtours. To me, this is segregation. If our hands make the exhibits ?dirty? at the tours where nondisabled persons are present, why are the touchtours acceptable?At the touchtours, there are no nondisabled participants present. Please advise. Thank you and stay in otuch. I am grateful for Lynne and Maria and our Infoshare group. Best, Lucia
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