[accesscomp] Fw: blindness issues in the general public
- From: "Bob Acosta" <boacosta@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "tektalk discussion" <tektalkdiscussion@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 2 Apr 2013 12:23:44 -0700
You may wish to help Dan Thompson out here. Bob Acosta
----- Original Message -----
From: dan
To: dan
Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2013 8:38 AM
Subject: blindness issues in the general public
Hi List Members,
I am on a newly formed inclussion committee at my church. We publish a
bi-weekly newsletter "The Evangel" and would like to use this venue for
educating our congregation about various disabilities. This will additonally
help parents have children with specail needs to feel more comfortable. We are
also going tooffer some general training for the Sunday School Teachers and
class room aids.
Below is a list of blindness issues I have encountered and have been provided
from others. If anyone has anything to add to this list, will you please send
the article below back with your additions. I usually don't use my lists as a
vehicle to ask this type of information. But strongly believe the better
educated the public is, there will be less uncomfortable situations.
Thank all of you for your input.
Blindness and/or low vision tips
http://mycheesegrits.hubpages.com/hub/Pet-Peeves-of-the-Blind-and-Visually-Impaired
1. When printingout a document for a persion with Low vision or is legally
blind, , usually the best font size is 18 and use Arial black or Arial Bold as
a font type.
2. Blowing up a document to a larger size of print on a copier is not the same
as enlarging the font.
3. When embossing a document, make sure "smart quotes" is turned off in your
wordprocessor when saving the file for embossing.
4. When working on a computer or other device with a screen, make sure glair
Is limited and there is plenty of lighting. Dio not sit in front of a window
with the sun shining directly off the screen or document being read.
5. Don't make the visually impaired person have to play the guessing game.
When in conversation, say your name and call them by their name. Many times a
person's voice is identifiable. However, there are those times when meeting
a person in a different environment, their voice will not be recognized.
6. Being afraid of the "S" word. Someone can be talking to a VI person and say
something like, "Let's go see what's for lunch." Then they gasp and think, oh
no, I shouldn't have said "see"! Lighten up. Everyone uses "see" and "look" and
"watch out!" Even the VI person.
7. I'm blind, not deaf. HELLO, HOW ARE YOU?? Which goes along with one of my
own
pet peeves: "You teach blind kids? So you must know sign language?" Um, NO. I
know braille. I wish I had a dime for every time someone asked me that - to
include administrators during an interview. Sometimes they "get it", but
sometimes they don't, but that's okay because I've just deducted 5 IQ points
from them. .)
I wonder if teachers of the hearing impaired get asked if they know braille...
8. VI people can hear everything. The flip side of #3, people assume the
visually impaired have so much better hearing than the rest of us. No, but they
do rely on it much more, so they are probably listening and paying attention
better. Not necessarily paying attention to the teacher, though. They also
don't have visual "distractors" so to speak, so they can focus more on what
they hear. Unless they don't want to hear it, of course. They are human, after
all.
9. "I don't really believe he's blind, even with that white cane. I'm not
moving from this side of the hallway." That attitude will leave you sprawled
out on the floor when the VI person barrels into you. Here's a good rule: Don't
play chicken with a blind person. You will always lose. Instead, get out of the
way, or at least make yourself known by saying something or making a noise.
10. Holding out your hand to shake theirs without touching their hand. If that
person cannot see your hand, how is he/she supposed to know where your hand is?
Answer: They will often extend their hand in anticipation, but if not, tell
them you would like to shake their hand and then reach out and take their hand.
Same thing goes for handing them something. You would be amazed how many times
this happens. "Here's your homework," and then you hold it out in space. Or,
even better, don't say anything at all and hold it out. Again, exactly how is
he/she going to know where it is? Grope about for it? Sometimes groping is
okay, like for finding a dropped item. But when handing things to the visually
impaired, please touch their hand with it so they know where it is.
Oh, good grief.Pin It Ryan Seacrest tries to high-5 blind Scott MacIntyre on
American Idol. Get a clue, Ryan!
11. Low expectations. This includes: the "pity" person (Oh, you poor blind
child. You must have a terrible life.), the "know-it-all" (Dr. so-and-so can
work miracles. I know because my grandmother/nephew/dog has 20-20 now.), "Mr.
Helper" (Let me do that, I know it's too hard for you.), the "excuse-maker" (I
don't want him/her to learn how to make a [insert food here] because they might
cut/burn/make a mess. You can't go on that field trip because there might be a
terrorist attack and I would worry.), the "denial/embarrassed person" (Don't
use your cane at the store so people won't know you're blind.), and
unfortunately,
the list goes on and on. Low expectation is probably the worst thing one person
can do to another, regardless of abilities. If you aim for low performance,
that's likely what you'll get. Don't be an enabler. Being too over-protective
will dramatically hinder the VI's progress toward independence and living a
happy, social, productive life. Step back. Allow them to fail, get a minor
injury, and make their own mistakes. That's how we all learn. Don't forbid them
these opportunities.
12. Would you like to feel my face? Whoa. Do you ask sighted people if they'd
like to feel your face? First of all, a blind person is not going to get a lot
of information from feeling a face, other than maybe the shape of your nose.
There are times when it is appropriate, such as when learning parts of the
body. But if you are not immediate family, allowing a VI person to "feel" you
is very inappropriate. And there are some VI who will attempt to do just that
because they know many people aren't sure about that protocol. Their hand needs
to stay in a handshake, and not move up your arm, and certainly nowhere else!
If you
wouldn't let a sighted person feel you, don't let a blind one. I've answered
this question a lot from sighted people who have felt awkward allowing this to
happen. Well, they feel awkward for a reason! It's not socially acceptable!
Feeling your hair, or the lack of it, can be appropriate depending on the
circumstances. I've also had this question from a parent: How will my son know
what a particular girl looks like? Answer: His friends will tell him!!! Oh yes,
they will. )
13, Rudeness. It's usually just ignorance, but don't assume that any VI person
automatically needs help. Grabbing the person's arm and pulling them along is
wrong on several levels. We know you're probably just trying to be nice, but
don't. First, always ask the person if they would like some assistance. Then,
use the sighted guide technique correctly. Offer your arm and let them hold it,
usually right above the elbow. Also, if there are several people with the VI
person, speak directly to him/her, not through an "interpreter", as if the VI
person is not there. Say his/her name, so he/she knows you are talking to
him/her.
14. Pure meanness. Placing obstacles in the VI person's path, throwing things
at them, rearranging furniture, moving or taking their belongingsc calling them
names, taking them to the wrong place and leaving them. Yes, it is mean - and
it happens all too often. There will always be Sith among us, but educating
ourselves and our children about disabilities may help reduce the bias,
discrimination and ignorance.
to subscribe, send an email to dthompson5@xxxxxxxxx with a request to subscribe
in the subject.
"Lord Jesus Christ, you have triumphed over the grave and you have won new life
for us. Give me the eyes of faith to see you in your glory. Help me to draw
near to you and to grow in the knowledge of your great love and power."
Psalm 118:1-2,16-17,22-23
1 O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures for
ever!
2 Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures for ever."
16 the right hand of the LORD is exalted, the right hand of the LORD does
valiantly!"
17 I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the corner.
23 This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
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