The video had been posted on the State website for educational purposes.
We made the video to be distributed to teach anyone who would view it.
Post it on your site..
From: wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf ;
Of John Brooking
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2019 9:38 PM
To: wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [wsmac] Re: Mini Immersion Day
It's too bad you won't be available, Kathy. I totally get about not loaning out
the goggles to non-staff. Do you think there's anyone else in your office who
might consider giving us maybe 2 hours of their time, or do you know where else
we might be able to borrow a pair? It does seem like a great activity for
Together Days, to accomplish some of the kind of empathy of an immersion
experience but without the extra challenge and liability of the usual immersion
activity in the Together Days context. I would the goggles would be very doable
in a small safe area we could rope off.
Regarding the video, we could post that on our Facebook page anytime! Is that
okay with you, Carson, and Kathy, should we ask Caitlyn as well?
On Thu, Apr 18, 2019 at 3:57 PM Kimberly Tarbox <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
Thank you Kathy. This is exactly why we are reaching out. We will take your
recommendations under advisement and rethink when and how to tackle an
immersion day.
Sent from my iPad
On Apr 18, 2019, at 3:40 PM, Carson Wood <cwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
<mailto:cwood@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > wrote:
Thank you for coming to the rescue Kathy.
-----Original Message-----
From: wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;<mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ] On
Behalf Of Clarrage, Katherine C.
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2019 3:11 PM
To: wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ; Steve Kelley
<SKelley@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:SKelley@xxxxxxxxxxx> >
Cc: Clarrage, Katherine C. <Katherine.C.Clarrage@xxxxxxxxx
<mailto:Katherine.C.Clarrage@xxxxxxxxx> >
Subject: [wsmac] Re: Mini Immersion Day
This is an ambitious endeavor. My initial reaction would be I'm not sure I'd
try to do anything "feet on the streets" during the Westbrook Together Days
weekend just because this town is extra crazy with all the hub-bub that
weekend. Next thought is there might be videos (as Carson referenced) that
could be shown...although a quieter venue (public safety conference room?)
might be a better place to view this video and then if folks desired, a
guided walk (with a trained Orientation & Mobility Specialist) could be
offered...otherwise I think you are putting folks (guides and guided in a
potentially liability situation). I would like to strongly remind the group
that the vast majority of visually impaired folks have low vision, not the
portrayed total blindness...so if a trained professional were to assist you
in this project and IF you wanted feet on the street, we do have some
simulation goggles that could be used for such a demo.
I know quite a few years ago now, O&M instructors and folks from Alpha One
did an awesome feet on the streets (after "lecture") with the traffic
engineers in Portland...that really got them thinking about the challenges of
folks with several disabilities and they are still referencing that event
this many years later (aka, pointed out the importance of visual contrast,
audible pedestrian signal plus/minus) and the challenges of curb-cuts (or
lack there of). For what I commend you all for taking this on, I do throw a
tad of caution and would really want this well thought out...otherwise it
could become a liability risk and could just potentially scare people and
leave them thinking safe independent navigation isn't possible. Do let me
know how I might be able to assist, although I will tell you that that first
weekend in June (Westbrook Together Days), I am not available. And should you
wonder, my agency is not able to "loan out" the vision simulation goggles to
non-staff...again, liability. Sorry, thanks! Kathy PS...someone asked what
O&M stands for...answer: Orientation & Mobility (instructors for the blind
and visually impaired).
AND, I've attached a video Carson referenced that nicely depicts feet on the
streets as a person who is blind/visually impaired.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y11qwgGmhok ;
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y11qwgGmhok&hl=en%5FUS&version=3&rel=0>
&hl=en%5FUS&version=3&rel=0
-----Original Message-----
From: wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;<mailto:wsmac-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> ] On
Behalf Of Kimberly Tarbox
Sent: Thursday, April 18, 2019 12:55 PM
To: Steve Kelley <SKelley@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:SKelley@xxxxxxxxxxx> >
Cc: wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:wsmac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [wsmac] Mini Immersion Day
EXTERNAL: This email originated from outside of the State of Maine Mail
System. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the
sender and know the content is safe.
The Westbrook Safe Mobility and Access Committee(WSMAC) is considering a mini
immersion day at Westbrook Together Days to give individuals a chance to
understand what it is like to get around without vision. We would like to
have your input as well as input from Kathy Clarrage on the feasibility of
this idea as well as precautions that should be taken. We want the public to
be able to understand what it is like to navigate the world being vision
impaired but we want to do this safely. We look forward to hearing from you.
Kimberly Tarbox
Westbrook Safe Mobility and Access Committee
(WSMAC)
Sent from my iPad
