**** ETNI on the web http://www.etni.org.il http://www.etni.org **** > -------- Original Message -------- > Subject: great text > From: "Avraham Roos Israel" <avrahamr@xxxxxxxxx> > Date: Tue, October 26, 2004 9:45 am > To: ask@xxxxxxxx > > Hi, > > > > While writing a text on the use of computers for visually impaired people, I > found this great text. I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did. > > Avraham Roos > > (source: http://www.cabln.org/blindnes.htm) > > SIGHTED ETTIQUETTE > > WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU MEET A SIGHTED PERSON > People who use their eyes to receive information about the world are called > sighted people or "people who are sighted." Legal "sight" means any visual > acuity greater than 20/200 in the better eye without correction or an angle > of vision wider than 20 degrees. sighted people enjoy rich full lives, > working, playing and raising families. They run businesses, hold public > office and teach YOUR children! > > HOW DO SIGHTED PEOPLE GET AROUND? People who are sighted may walk or ride > public transportation, but most choose to travel long distances by operating > their own motor vehicles. They have gone through many hours of training, at > great expense, to learn the "rules of the road" to further their > independence. Once that road to freedom has been mastered, sighted people > earn a legal classification and a "Driver's License" that allows them to > operate a private vehicle safely and independently. Sighted people cannot > function well in low lighting conditions and are generally completely > helpless in total darkness. Their homes are usually very brightly lit at > great expense, as are businesses that cater to the sighted consumer. > > HOW CAN I BEST COMMUNICATE WITH SIGHTED PEOPLE? Sighted people are > accustomed to viewing the world in visual terms. This means that in many > situations, they will not be able to communicate orally and may resort to > pointing or other gesturing. They may also use subtle facial expressions to > convey feelings in social situations. Calmly alert the sighted person to his > or her surroundings by speaking slowly, in a normal tone of voice. There is > no need to raise your voice when addressing a sighted person. Questions > directed to the sighted person help them focus on verbal rather than visual > and gestural communication. > > HOW CAN I ASSIST A SIGHTED PERSON? At times, sighted people may need help > finding things, especially when operating a motor vehicle. Your advance > knowledge of routes and landmarks, particularly bumps in the road, turns and > traffic lights, will assist the "driver" in finding the way quickly and > easily. Your knowledge of building layouts can also assist the sighted > person in navigating complex shopping malls and offices. Sighted people tend > to be very proud and will not ask directly for assistance. Be gentle, yet > firm. > > HOW DO SIGHTED PEOPLE READ? Sighted people read through a system called > "Print." Print is a series of images drawn in a two dimensional plane. > Because the person who is sighted relies exclusively on visual information, > his or her attention span tends to fade quickly when reading long texts. > People who are sighted generally have a poorly developed sense of touch. > Braille is completely foreign to the sighted person and he or she will take > longer to learn the code and be severely limited by his or her existing > visual senses. > > HOW DO SIGHTED PEOPLE USE COMPUTERS? Computer information is presented to > sighted people in a "Graphical User Interface" or GUI. Sighted people often > suffer from hand-eye coordination problems and poor memories. To accommodate > these difficulties, people who are sighted use a "mouse," a handy device > that slides along the desk top to save confusing keystrokes. With one > button, the sighted person can move around his or her computer screen > quickly and easily. People who are sighted are not accustomed to synthetic > speech and may have great difficulty understanding even the clearest > synthesizer. Be patient and prepared to explain many times how YOUR computer > equipment works. > > HOW CAN I SUPPORT A SIGHTED PERSON? People who are sighted do not want your > charity. They want to live, work and play along with you. The best thing you > can do to support sighted people in your community is to open yourself to > their world. These citizens are vital, contributing members of society. Take > a sighted person to lunch today!!! ##### To send a message to the ETNI list email: etni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ##### ##### Send queries and questions to: ask@xxxxxxxx #####