[vi-android] Re: blog post on special treatment.
- From: Quentin Christensen <quentin.christensen@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2013 09:46:20 +1100
It's a very interesting topic, and I think what Aaron is saying is more
around the attitude of some people moreso than actually the specific
accomodations provided for them. I think it's probably not only blind or
vision impaired people but in some instances can be anyone who - real or
imagined - feels that life has dealt them a harsh hand.
The issue of what you should be entitled to is quite complex and difficult
as well - here in Australia we are in the early phase of changing over our
whole government funded disability sector from a block funding model (The
government gives an agency a block of money to run a particular program) to
individual funding (you as a person with a disability are eligible for X
amount of funding which you can use with whichever agency you feel best
meets your needs). There are pros and cons to each model and whether one
is better than the other in a lot of ways comes down to how it is
implemented - either way there will be some people better off and some
worse off...
I had an interesting discussion with someone around the blind pension, and
how most blind people use it to live off or if they are employed, as an
additional income to help afford some of the niceties of life. I made the
comment, should it be split up into two payments - a living pension, to pay
the bills and buy food, only available to those who don't have a job, and a
blind supplement for anyone who is blind to specifically go towards buying
equipment like magnifiers, screen reader software, etc which you need over
and above what someone with full sight would need. As it is, that seems to
be the way it is moving towards in Australia though my friend made the
interesting point that, as someone who works, he sees the blind pension as
helping to make up for the disparity in his employment - yes he has a good
job, but if he'd been fully sighted, he would have got better marks at
school, been able to get a better job and thus been paid more in a wage,
which was a financial point I hadn't considered previously.
In terms of something like Tap tap see (back on group topic - has anyone
heard anything about whether they plan to bring it to Android?) - I
personally wouldn't have a problem with paying for it if I found it useful
- sure if there's a government subsidy that will pay for it all well and
good, but should I expect that? The developer is just as entitled to earn
their living as the developer of the Swiftkey keyboard (first app listed in
the "Top paid" section of the play store), both apps make life easier for
their users, though there are alternatives to each which may not be as
instant and effective, but might be free. Ah, but tap tap see if
"accessibility", but at what point should the government start and stop
paying for everything which makes life more accessible? What if I find
Swiftkey easier to use because it's very accurate and I don't need to look
as closely at the keys (It is actually fairly good and I got 13 / 57th with
it in my keyboard test recently -
http://qchristensen.wordpress.com/2013/08/14/android-on-screen-keyboards/ -
it might well have got higher if the text size could be made larger) -
should I get it free then? Actually in both cases, potentially under the
new NDIS in Australia, you *could* argue that those apps help you reach
your goal of being more independent and therefore you would like some of
your funding to go towards paying for them (Not sure of the nitty gritty of
the funding and whether that would work, but it might).
In any case it's an interesting debate and one where the issues really
aren't black and white (particularly even before you get to - if the
government should pay for X for you, what should they drop funding from in
order to afford it?)
On 18 November 2013 05:30, Aaron <blindgeek1989@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> right I agree that we need reasonable accommodations but when those
> reasonable accommodations become a way of life for some blind people and
> they demand it and are mad at the world that’s where I have a problem, they
> want everything handed to them and don’t want to do anything about it.
> Thanks,
> Aaron Linson
> Producer of The Cast Podcast <http://www.blindpodcaster.com>
>
> On Nov 17, 2013, at 1:24 PM, George Zavala <ccares.wireless@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
> Aaron,
> I will agree to disagree with you. Some disabled people do think they are
> entitled to special treatment beyond their basics necessities; this is
> where our philosophy’s go into different directions. I have earned a degree
> in criminal justice with a concentration in homeland security and I’m
> pleased to see that a fellow blind friend is aiming to improve his life, I
> sincerely wish you the best.
>
> No matter what we need or want we do require some type of “special
> treatment” or “reasonable accommodation” to accomplish what sighted
> individuals can do. We can’t sit here and judge what is appropriate for a
> particular person or group of people without first experiencing their
> life’s daily routine or past history living with their specific disability.
> Best regards,
>
> *GEORGE ZAVALA*
> PROJECT COORDINATOR
> (915)760-1306
>
> *ROBERT VASQUEZ*
> EVENT COORDINATOR
> (915)546-4183
>
> *IRENE ZAMORANO*
> VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
> (915)253-0620
>
> *MARTHA MOLINA*
> OUTREACH COORDINATOR
> (915)244-6019
>
>
> *From:* vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [
> mailto:vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] *On
> Behalf Of *Aaron
> *Sent:* Sunday, November 17, 2013 10:13 AM
> *To:* vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject:* [vi-android] Re: blog post on special treatment.
>
> George,
> Yes I have sought employment, I’m employed at Fedora Outlier. I’m in
> college getting a degree so I can get a better job. Call it special
> treatment or reasonable accommodations it doesn’t matter when you think
> your entitled to something just because your blind it doesn’t matter what
> you call it.
> Thanks,
> Aaron Linson
> Producer of The Cast Podcast <http://www.blindpodcaster.com/>
>
> On Nov 17, 2013, at 11:07 AM, George Zavala <ccares.wireless@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
>
>
> Greetings Everyone,
> Aaron has a point in the ideology of some blind people. However, I would
> like to ask Aaron if he has ever sought employment. I know of individuals,
> like myself, that have an extensive employment history and are unemployed.
> Special treatment or as I like to call it reasonable accommodations, are
> put in place for us to be on a level playing field as our sighted
> counterparts. When I worked for the government I asked for “special
> treatment” just so I can do my essential work duties. When society gives us
> equal opportunities in employment, or housing, or just in society, blind
> people attitudes should hopefully change. Granted, just because I have a
> disability I can’t expect for people or agencies to put things in my hand;
> I have to earn what I get.
>
>
> *From:* vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [
> mailto:vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <vi-android-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] *On
> Behalf Of *Aaron
> *Sent:* Saturday, November 16, 2013 10:28 PM
> *To:* vi-android@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> *Subject:* [vi-android] blog post on special treatment.
>
> Hello fellow listers,
> I’ve just written my second blog article on my website
> blindpodcaster.com<http://www.blindpodcaster.com/> concerning
> the special treatment of blindness. So, go check it out and leave a
> comment. Here’s the link.
> http://blindpodcaster.com/im-blind-so-give-me-special-treatment/
> Thanks,
> Aaron Linson
> Producer of The Cast Podcast <http://www.blindpodcaster.com/>
>
>
>
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