TABLE OF CONTENTS
New Name, New Logo, and New Image
Fighting for Dignity of the Blind
Editorial: Home is More Than the Place Where We Live
Not One New Penny for Housing
Nurturing Affordability
Home Supports: Hearing from Consumers
Pilot Project Uses Video, Voice to Deliver Home Care
Agent of Change: An Interview with a Blind Real Estate Broker
Seniority: The Growing Market for Bigger Buttons
Furnace, Speak to Us!
Accessibility of Consumer Electronic Equipment
Wish-List for Digital Television
Entertainment Delivered to the Comfort of Home
Mixed Welcome for First Accessible DVD
Video Games in the Dark
Shopping: Another Indirect Benefit of the Accessible Internet
Not So Public Transportation
Operators of Accessible Transportation in Rural Areas “Starving of Cash”
Ontario’s Accessibility Advisory Committees: Inclusion or Illusion?
Md Considers Special Needs
Blind Firefighter Saves Lives
Marshalling the Art of Self-Defense for All
Home Safety Tips for Persons who are Blind or Partially Sighted
Lufkin Residents Teach Visually Impaired How to be Handy Around the
House
Adaptive Gardening Techniques for the Visually Impaired
Mowing the Lawn
Blind Couple Living in a Sighted World
Let Your Child Play with the Pots and Pans!
The Right Way to Play
Staying in Style
Student’s Scanning Device for Blind
Whatever Works!
Supermarket Websites Fail Basic Checks
Grocer Removes Barriers
What to Do When You Can’t See What You Plant
Braille New World for Spanish Shoppers
“Cooking without Looking” Helps Blind Cooks
Nana Cannot See Very Well
Creating a Comfortable Environment for Older Individuals who are Visually
Impaired
Accessibility and Appeal: Interior Design Complements
Terror Wave: Tsunami and Disability
GP’s “Failing Partially Sighted”
“Safer Streets” for the Blind Urged
Highlights of Recent AEBC Activities
2004 Scholarship Winners
Welcome to the AEBC’s Year 2005 Scholarship Programme!
New Resources
Membership/Subscription Forms
NEW NAME, NEW LOGO, AND NEW IMAGE
The National Federation of the Blind: Advocates for Equality (NFB:AE) has
changed its name, adopted a new logo and developed a new state of the art
website, but its previous work continues.
Now known as Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians/L'Alliance pour
l'ÉgalitÉ des Personnes Aveugles du Canada (AEBC), the group remains a
consumer organization of persons who are blind, deaf-blind and partially
sighted.
"The name change process involved a tremendous amount of work on the
part of many, more than I ever imagined," says John Rae, AEBC President,
"but I think our members have chosen well.
"From now on, there should be no further confusion of who we really are,
and no more 'Oh, you're the National Film Board?'
"Our new name is very descriptive of who we are and what we want to
achieve," says Rae." We are a coming together of individuals in more and
more locations every year. All of our work focuses on gaining greater
equality. We are a consumer organization run by and for our members; and
we are Canadian-based and Canadian focused," he adds.
The AEBC, like its predecessor the NFB:AE, is clearly an independent,
made-in-Canada consumer organization, whose work focuses on improving
the lives and living conditions of blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted
Canadians through public education and advocacy.
The AEBC can be reached at 1638 Pandosy Street, Suite 6, Kelowna, BC
V1Y 1P8; Phone: 1-800-561-4774; Email: info@blindcanadians.ca or by
visiting our new website: http://www.blindcanadians.ca
Check us out and get involved!
FIGHTING FOR DIGNITY OF THE BLIND
By: Brad Holden
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Enterprise Bulletin
(Collingwood), April 22, 2005.
Dignity and independence.
Those words come up often in conversation with John Rae. As president of
the newly named Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians, just about
everything he spends his days fighting for comes down to some combination
of those words: dignity and independence.
The Toronto-based Rae was in Collingwood this week, meeting with
members of the local AEBC chapter. He's travelling the country in the wake
of the organization's recent decision to rebrand itself after 12 years as the
National Federation of the Blind: Advocates for Equality.
"We're celebrating our new name," said Rae. "We think it's a fairly good
description of who we are and what we do."
It also better reflects the group's distinctly Canadian identity, he explained.
A similar National Federation of the Blind exists in the United States, and
before the name change his group had often been confused with that one.
The not-for-profit AEBC welcomes all blind, deaf-blind and partially
sighted people, as well as their families and other interested individuals.
Its mandate is to preserve and enhance the rights of such persons through
public education, advocacy and other initiatives.
"We are a consumer group," explained Rae. "And as persons living our own
lives, we are our best spokespersons."
Members of Rae's group have several issues they feel warrant more
exposure--chiefly among them the need for more braille in our society.
"Our greatest barrier is access to information," he said. "Instruction manuals,
local newspapers, shopping flyers, catalogues, tour brochures, these are all
things we have trouble reading."
And the problem doesn't end with information.
So many consumer products and other aspects of modern life are designed
without consideration for those who can't see, he said, that it can make life
for the blind incredibly difficult.
"If the needs of all people were thought about when a product, a building, a
street corner were being designed, then we wouldn't have to lobby to have
these things changed later on," said Rae.
Street corners and the need for audible crossing signals is one area the
AEBC has lobbied for extensively. Another--and one close to local chapter
president Devon Wilkins' heart--is the need for a voting system that enables
blind people to exercise their rights without the help of another person.
"Right now, all of our elections are mail-in elections," said Wilkins.
"Someone without sight cannot vote privately and independently."
Not only that, added Rae, but the vast majority of information distributed by
candidates during elections is not available in a blind-friendly format.
"Again, it's about dignity and independence," he said. "Braille is our answer
to literacy, and it needs to be more available."
Most of the AEBC's work revolves around getting messages like this out to
the general public, but the organization does not limit itself to advocacy.
A big part of its agenda lies in mentorship. Through the AEBC, young or
newly blinded people can be connected with a mentor--someone used to life
without sight--in order to learn important life skills.
"Sometimes, all people really need is a bit of personal support," said
Wilkins, who has mentored several people since becoming involved with the
organization.
The Collingwood AEBC chapter is a young one, having just started up last
July.
But there are enough visually impaired people in the area--especially with
today's aging population--that Wilkins is sure it will grow and thrive.
"We're putting on a push," she said. "We're celebrating the new name, and
we want to tell people what we're about, and recruit new members if we
can."
There's strength in numbers, after all. And dignity. And comfort, added Rae.
"Sometimes, people just enjoy the camaraderie of a group," he said.
Anyone wanting more information about the Alliance for Equality of Blind
Canadians can call Wilkins at 444-4512 or visit: www.blindcanadians.ca
EDITORIAL: HOME IS MORE THAN THE PLACE WHERE WE LIVE
By: John Rae
The word "home" will conjure up in the minds of many readers sunny days,
tranquil nights, comfortable surroundings, fix-it projects, a favourite
television show, and feelings of peace, warmth and security. And so it
should!
But home is far more than the place where one lives.
it is also the neighbourhood, the rest of the town or city where we reside, and
perhaps even the wider community of province and country. It encompasses
the activities in which we are involved, either individually or collectively, to
improve the quality of life for ourselves and for all Canadians, including we
who are blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted.
Most communities are not constructed with our varied needs in mind.
Sidewalks are cluttered; audible pedestrian signals are absent or hard to find;
and public transportation is often inadequate. Building communities with
universal design principles firmly in mind would not only make good
business sense, as it is far easier and cost effective to construct a building the
right way rather than having to retrofit, but it also makes it possible for more
persons to easily use a given building or community resource.
Our organization is also our home, which now has a new name, Alliance for
Equality of Blind Canadians/L'Alliance pour l'ÉgalitÉ des Personnes
Aveugles du Canada (formerly National Federation of the Blind: Advocates
for Equality). We have a new look, new logo and new website:
www.blindcanadians.ca
In choosing AEBC as our new name, I believe our members have chosen
well--a name that makes it clear who we are and what we are trying to
achieve, a made-in-Canada name that no one should be able to confuse with
any other organization.
This issue of the Canadian Blind Monitor, "Home Sweet Home", focuses on
the broad theme of home.
Naturally, in a country like ours that is still beset by an unacceptable level of
poverty, we address the need to expand affordable housing, so more
Canadians will have greater options in choosing where to live. We also
examine the issue of accessibility in every aspect from design to appliances
and electronics, which would render house and home more user friendly to a
wider number of Canadians. This issue is becoming increasingly important
as our population continues to age.
And finally, we take a look at community involvement in AEBC Chapters
and local advisory committees.
As the AEBC expands into more communities across this vast land, our local
Chapters not only provide a presence and opportunity for camaraderie, they
also offer a vehicle for collective action to improve the communities where
we live. Our Chapters are already addressing such issues as local/accessible
transportation, access to library programs, audible pedestrian signals at street
crossings, snow removal and relations with local police.
Many Chapter members in Ontario also serve on their local Accessibility
Advisory Committees. These Committees provide us another opportunity to
bring our "nothing about us without us" message to new audiences, and the
chance to influence the development of policies and programs right where
we live.
NOT ONE NEW PENNY FOR HOUSING
By: Carol Goar
Editor's Note: This editorial is reprinted from the Toronto Star, February 28,
2005.
Housing Minister Joe Fontana swung into damage control within hours of
last week's federal budget.
He had a lot to explain. Not one penny of the $1.5 billion in housing funds
promised by the Liberals in the last election materialized in the budget. Not
one paragraph was devoted to affordable housing. Not one new housing
initiative was launched.
Opting for the direct approach, the minister phoned housing advocates.
Some reacted with fury. Others gave him grudging credit for daring to raise
his head.
Since being named minister in July, Fontana has been promising that
housing money would start flowing "within weeks." He had been assuring
Canadians that a national housing strategy was in the works. He had been
telling the homeless they have a strong voice at the cabinet table.
There was no evidence of it in the federal budget.
In his conversations with housing activists, Fontana made three lame points
in his own defence:
First, he could not persuade his cabinet colleagues to authorize new
spending because Ottawa had $800 million in unspent funds from past
federal-provincial housing agreements. That money would soon be
available, the minister insisted cheerfully.
Second, he was directing Karen Kinsley, president of Canada Mortgage and
Housing Corporation (CMHC) to come up with options to reinvest the
agency's profits in affordable housing. That could bring more than $700
million a year on stream.
Third, there was always a possibility of a funding announcement outside the
budget cycle.
Michael Shapcott of the Toronto Disaster Relief Committee was
unimpressed. "We're not placated and we're not going to go away," he
vowed.
Street nurse Cathy Crowe was bitter. "I really believed the promise of $1.5
billion," she said. "This is a betrayal."
The media, for the most part, ignored their complaints. What's missing from
a budget doesn't normally make news.
Even their usual allies--the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the
Canadian Labour Congress, faith groups and child poverty activists—were
disinclined to make a fuss. Most got something they wanted in the budget
and they didn't want to look ungrateful.
Housing activists aren't sure what to do now.
They doubt that Fontana will have much success in freeing up the money
sitting in federal coffers. It has been caught in a federal-provincial logjam
for four years. The new housing minister seems as incapable of breaking the
impasse (especially with Ontario) as his predecessors.
Nor are they counting on any outpouring of funds from CMHC. The federal
Liberals have been talking about redeploying the crown corporation's profits
since 2002.
As for a future funding announcement, that looks as likely as an out-ofseason visit from Santa Claus.
Nevertheless, Shapcott and his crew will troop off to the next federalprovincial housing ministers' meeting in Nova Scotia in April brandishing
copies of Prime Minister Paul Martin's latest Speech from the Throne
("Shelter is the foundation upon which healthy communities and individual
dignity are built") and the 2004 Liberal campaign platform ("A Liberal
government will do more to stimulate assisted housing by providing a
further $1 billion to $1.5 billion over the next five years").
They've tried to prod, cajole or shame the country's elected leaders into
acting before. With more doggedness than optimism, they'll try again.
But Fontana has as much of a problem as they do. He has just lost a very
visible cabinet battle--an inauspicious start to a ministerial career.
He has to find a way to salvage his credibility. He has to convince Canadians
that the national housing framework he intends to unveil next month is new,
when it's clear that it is a repacking of old programs.
Publicly, Fontana is putting on a brave face. He says the Martin government
is as committed as ever to addressing the shortage of affordable housing in
this country. He says the federal cabinet understands that adequate shelter is
a basic human right. He says that with a little patience and goodwill on all
sides, Ottawa, the provinces and the municipalities can work together on
affordable housing.
But on the ground, a quarter of a million Canadians still have no place to call
home. Another 1.7 million households can barely afford to keep a roof over
their head.
Finance Minister Ralph Goodale called last week's budget "Delivering on
Commitments." For one embarrassed cabinet minister, that was not the case.
Carol Goar's column appears Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Reproduced courtesy of Torstar Syndication Services.
NURTURING AFFORDABILITY
Real Estate Agents, Developers, CMHC put on seminars for poor,
disadvantaged
By: Paul Thiele
Medallion Housing Society
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Vancouver Sun,
April 16, 2005.
When, where, etc. When--Dates: April 26 and May 3; 6:00-9:00 pm; Where:
CMHC Board Room, 200-1111 West Georgia Street; Need to Know 1:
space is limited to 20 participants per session; Need to Know 2: to register,
contact Paul Thiele 604/224-4424 or pthiele@shaw.ca or online at:
www.medallionhs.com Nice to Know 1: Accessible seminar materials in
braille and large print; Nice to Know 2: Paul Thiele is Director Emeritus,
Crane Library, UBC.
In today's hot real estate market, everywhere you look there are home buyer
seminars for condo buyers, investment buyers, foreign buyers and very
obviously buyers with big bucks.
So are there any information sessions for the little guy--people with incomes
from $25,000-$50,000 who have special needs brought on by disabilities or
advancing age?
You bet there are!
The MEDALLION HOUSING SOCIETY and its sister organization, the
HOME FOUNDATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, two Vancouver-based
non-profit organizations, are offering two seminars--Tuesday, April 26 and
Tuesday, May 3--to address traditionally marginalized potential home
buyers.
Topics for discussion will include such issues as pros and cons of home
ownership, assessing housing needs, financial help for buyers with special
needs, assessing your present financial status and future potential,
assembling a team of trusted professions such as the real estate agent,
mortgage broker, banker, lawyer, home inspector and insurance broker, and
finding the right home for you.
But the question is why bother with the little guy? Who are these people and
what is the catch? In a cynical world, these are legitimate questions.
The Medallion Housing Society and its sister organization are two non-profit
organizations formed by a group of commercial realtors, land developers and
other professionals in the housing business. The organizations' mandates are
to educate home buyers with low incomes and special needs and to develop
low-cost, affordable homes. Home buyers with low incomes and low-cost,
affordable housing, aren't these oxymorons these days?
Ask any of the directors of the Medallion Housing Society; ask the staff of
the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation who will be presenting the
seminars; ask the people who coordinated the pilot project with single
parents last year; ask the people at the Real Estate Foundation of BC who
are funding the seminars; and ask the folks at Arc2 Media, a Yaletown event
production and media company who developed the website for online
registration, and they all say, "We are doing this for Mercedes Wong".
Ask me, an early retiree UBC department head and professor with a careerlong involvement in disability issues, and I have to admit that it is for the
same reason. Mercedes Wong is a long-time social friend, and eventplanning and educational endeavours are all part of my UBC background.
So who is Mercedes Wong?
This pint-sized bundle of energy and enthusiasm is a very successful
commercial realtor. Born in the Philippines and educated there and in Spain,
she obtained degrees in Business Administration and Public Accounting and
worked for some time as Director of Financial and Funding Services for a
large social service agency in Vancouver.
Talk to her as to why she was instrumental in founding both of the
presenting organizations, and she starts sounding like a Social Worker.
In her experience at the social agency, she could see the need for
stabilization of individuals on low incomes and with special needs that only
home ownership could provide. Such things as a sense of a place of one's
own, a sense of community, a sense of pride and, after all, the knowledge
that owning a home is the best “piggy bank” that anyone can have. Homes,
no matter how humble, generally appreciate in value at a higher rate than
most other investments.
These seminars are funded by the Real Estate Foundation of British
Columbia and presented by staff of CMHC in collaboration with the
Commercial Division of the Real Estate Board of Vancouver.
If you would like to see such seminars held in your community, please
contact your local real estate board and the offices of CMHC.
HOME SUPPORTS: HEARING FROM CONSUMERS
By: April D'Aubin
Editor's Note: April D'Aubin lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she is
research analyst for the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD).
Disability supports have been identified by disability rights organizations as
a key priority, and home supports is a component of disability supports.
CCD's Health Reform Committee undertook a research project with Dr. Kari
Krogh to investigate home support policy issues and develop solutions. As
CCD is a consumer driven organization, the research sought to hear from
home support users throughout Canada.
Consumers had many ideas on how to improve home support for people
with disabilities. Some of the suggestions were as follows:
Direct Funding Programs Universally Available--Direct funding programs
need to be available in all parts of Canada for all home support users who
want to be self-managers, and these programs need to be flexible so that they
meet the needs of consumers. For example, consumers want to be able to
hire family members, and direct funding programs need to have a safety net
for both consumers and workers to address temporary lay-offs, such as when
a consumer is in the hospital.
Emphasize Independent Living (IL) Principles--Consumers were anxious to
see IL principles influence the training of home support workers.
User Fees--The research participants reported that it was difficult for them to
pay user fees. They recommended that these fees be eliminated or reduced.
National Standards--Many participants called for home support programs to
be governed by a set of national standards. Some consumers would like to
see home support programs follow the principles outlined in the Canada
Health Act. These principles are as follows:
Portability--Consumers want home supports attached to the user and not tied
to a particular location.
Assessment Procedures--Participants found that the assessment procedures
used by home support programs to be problematic. They suggested that such
procedures should focus on how to provide consumers with the supports
necessary to achieve personal goals, self-determination, the consumer's
desired lifestyle and full and equal participation in Canadian life.
More Inclusive Programs--Consumers recommended that home support
programs be inclusive of persons with chronic illnesses.
Appeal Mechanisms--The participants recommended that all home support
programs have appeal mechanisms attached to them.
This is just a brief account of the recommendations made by consumers. The
complete results of the home supports research project will be published on
CCD's website: http://www.ccdonline.ca
PILOT PROJECT USES VIDEO, VOICE TO DELIVER HOME CARE
By: Helen Henderson
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Toronto Star,
March 5, 2004, courtesy of Torstar Syndication Services.
Chronic care may just be the start
When John Langworthy gets short of breath, he doesn't worry the way he
used to.
Langworthy, 73, has chronic obstructive lung disease. That makes shortness
of breath a major concern. But a pilot project that could change the face of
home care is giving him almost instant access to a nurse and peace of mind.
"I govern my health now," says Langworthy, who monitors his own oxygen
intake.
As part of a $2.3 million, three-year experimental telehomecare program in
the East York area of Toronto, Langworthy's home is equipped with a
compact two-way voice and video system linked to nurses who provide
home care.
If the system fulfils expectations, it could dramatically ease pressure on a
seriously overstretched system, saving trips to emergency and allowing
home care nurses more flexibility.
Before he got the system, Langworthy had to go to his doctor's office just to
have his blood pressure taken. Now he has a blood pressure cuff,
stethoscope and pulse oximeter in his home. When he uses them, the
information is fed into a computer located with the nursing group. The
readings are stored and reviewed regularly.
Online sessions are held once or twice a week.
Depending on how things have been going, Langworthy has a scheduled
face-to-face live video consultation with nurse Kristen deSouza of Comcare
Health Services. They talk about how he has been doing and go over his
vital signs.
At any other time, day or night, if he's feeling short of breath, he can contact
a nurse on call by phone. By asking what he was doing and how he was
feeling just before the incident, the nurse can assess the seriousness of the
situation.
Just knowing he can contact someone "gives us a great feeling of comfort,"
says Langworthy's wife Joan, who recalls only too vividly the build-up of
anxiety before her husband became part of the telehomecare pilot.
"Anxiety makes anyone's oxygen intake even less," says deSouza, who finds
the high-tech system allows her much more flexibility in caring for patients.
"It will never replace nurses and the personal visits many people need," she
notes. But for many seniors, people with disabilities and those with chronic,
manageable conditions, such as diabetes, congestive heart disease or chronic
lung obstructions, "it's the way of the future," deSouza predicts.
That's certainly the hope of Centennial College, which developed the
equipment Langworthy is using and is leading the East York pilot project.
By 2006 the group hopes to have 200 homes with hi-tech health care links
that should relieve pressure on seriously overburdened services, reducing
trips to emergency and delivering quality care more efficiently.
Major partners on the project include: Comcare, which supplies nursing
services; Toronto East General Hospital; the East York community care
access centre; Clinidata, which operates Ontario's 24-hour Telehealth phone
consultation service; and Montreal's Centre Hospitalier Anna-Laberge, also
running a pilot project.
"We hope to demonstrate that it's sustainable and that the ministry of health
will support it," says Renee Kenny, Centennial's dean of applied arts and
health sciences. The college, already known for its online nursing
telepractice post-graduate program, aims to expand E-learning related to
health care, she adds.
Telehomecare isn't new. It's up and running in St. John, N.B. And it is a
growing phenomenon in the U.S., where American TeleCare says it
pioneered the concept a decade ago and the Mayo Clinnic is even testing it
to help people with Alzheimer's.
The East York project is focusing on chronic care but it's also got an eye on
ways of expanding the concept, says Barb MacFarlane, manager of service
operations at the East York Access Centre.
"We hope eventually to use it to help some cancer patients whose immune
systems have been repressed," MacFarlane says. "For them, a trip to a clinic
in flu season can be dangerous and it's tiring at the best of times.
"And we might be able to use it in the area of mental health, when clients
may not want to go to a drop-in clinic."
Telehomecare also could help streamline case management, MacFarlane
says, allowing doctors, nurses and pharmacists to access data and
communicate via the internet.
"We are expecting cost savings," MacFarlane says.
The high-tech voice, video and monitoring units placed in homes cost about
$5,000; the units at health care offices are double that, she notes. But with
trips to emergency running at $500 and a day in hospital costing $600 to
$1,000, savings should add up.
"Just knowing they can call someone really helps our clients," she says. In
homes where the systems have been set up, "we haven't had any after-hours
calls or trips to emergency."
For more information, check: www.telehomecare.ca
AGENT OF CHANGE: AN INTERVIEW WITH A BLIND REAL
ESTATE BROKER
By: Rajesh Malik
Editor’s Note: Rajesh Malik lives in Montreal, Quebec. He teaches
psychology at Dawson College and in the Department of Education at
Concordia University.
Beatrice Leonard is a real estate broker in Oak Park, Illinois, who has been
involved in her profession since 1986. She is blind with some light
perception and uses a working dog.
The following interview was conducted via electronic mail.
Q. Could you tell us something about the real estate company you are
running?
A. The company is called Beatrice Leonard & Associates. The services I
provide to clients are listing and selling property, property management
(when needed), and I'm also working on developing housing for the disabled
population to increase their independent living skills. I'm presently holding
licenses for five agents.
Q. How did you become interested in buying and selling real estate, and did
you wonder if you might face any problems on account of your vision
impairment?
A. I became interested in the process of buying and selling property because
I wanted to help people whose homes were in foreclosure. There were many
laws that would change about purchasing homes, and the disabled
population might not be aware of them. I did suspect there would be
problems with people accepting me as a blind realtor.
Q. What courses did you have to complete in order to pursue what you are
doing at present, and did you experience any difficulties in obtaining the
state licenses required to be a real estate agent?
A. I took the required real estate courses and then the State of Illinois
Realtors Exam. I received my license from the Illinois Department of
Education and Registration. After getting my license, I had to locate a real
estate broker who would hold my license for one year.
I did not have any difficulties in obtaining the state license. I happened to be
the first blind person to take the real estate class at the school I attended, and
they were tickled pink to have me. The state provided a reader to assist me
with exam questions.
q. For many blind persons, the idea of doing what you do may seem just
about impossible. What strategies do you use to perform your job, like in
judging the characteristics of a property you are buying or selling, including
its size, shape and condition?
A. When I show a property, I bring a contracted home inspector with me. He
walks me through each room of the house, checking the foundation, roof,
walls, etc. I then sit down with the seller and I tell them the weak points.
Q. How about completing the endless number of forms real estate agents
have to fill out while negotiating on behalf of their clients?
A. The real estate contract forms are in PDF format and do not work well
with my screen reader. I asked the Board of Realtors to send me the forms in
a format I could use and they were put into Microsoft Word, but the lines
wrap so I use my reader a great deal.
Additionally, I had problems with the listing board. I had to sue to get the
listings in an accessible format I could manipulate. To accommodate my
request, the Board of Realtors provided an individual who would pull up
listings and email them to me.
Q. It seems you are running a very successful business but still face some
discrimination. How big is this problem for you? Do you feel you lose any
business because of your vision impairment?
A. If I did not like real estate as much as I do, I would have had to close the
doors to my office a very long time ago. People cannot "visualize" a visionimpaired person doing real estate.
I have been featured as a blind realtor on two television news shows and
interviewed for three different newspapers, but I have not received one
referral from all of that publicity. I have received telephone calls saying,
“Keep up the good work. I will call you when I need to sell or buy
property.” I am still waiting.
When I pull up a property for Illinois, it is the same property that every real
estate agent in Illinois sees. Coming to Beatrice Leonard & Associates or
going next door to ABC Real Estate Office, we both pull up the same
property. It's unfortunate they cannot get past my blindness and they don’t
realize that I worked just as hard as the person next door to obtain my
license.
I don’t know if people have a problem with me because I’m blind or because
I’m an African American. Therefore, I choose to work in property
development because it doesn’t matter if I’m blind in that field.
Q. Could you describe an incident of discrimination you have faced in your
line of business, how you reacted, and how you finally resolved the issue?
A. After receiving my real estate license, I had to work under a broker for
one year as is customary, but I experienced great difficulty finding a broker
who would hold my license. Four of the real estate companies I contacted
gave me the run around, and a secretary at one of the offices felt sorry for
me and advised me not to come back because they were not going to hire
me. Often I was told that I did not have enough experience.
But I finally met a gentleman who was an attorney and had his broker’s
license. He gave me a chance.
The issue of working with a blind realtor is very real, and one problem is
recruiting agents. When someone comes into the office for an interview and
they realize that I’m blind, they are uncomfortable even though I have a real
estate license hanging on the wall showing my “worth”.
One of my agents was quite candid. She could not visualize someone blind
teaching her anything about real estate, but she has repeatedly commented
that she has learned a great deal from working with me. That same realtor
has been with my office now for six years.
And once when I was showing a property to a buyer, the seller seemed
offended that I was blind and called the listing office to complain. How can
a blind agent possibly sell her building?
The listing agent corrected her by first telling her I was a broker and my rank
was higher than hers. Second, she could not discriminate because I was
blind. Third, the blind broker had just faxed over a full priced offer on her
property!
But the blind community can be worse! Each of my blind acquaintances is
aware of what I do, but they all went to someone sighted to purchase or sell
their homes. I was told they felt more comfortable with someone sighted.
But when it was something they did not quite understand about the home
purchasing process, they had no problem in calling me to ask questions. Of
course, I had to refer them back to the agent with whom they were working
and who is going to receive a commission cheque.
We can be our own worst enemies! If we do not show unity in supporting
our peers in the disabled community, who will?
SENIORITY: THE GROWING MARKET FOR BIGGER BUTTONS
By: Fred Brock
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the New York Times,
December 14, 2003.
I THOUGHT about Richard Nixon the other day as I was struggling to twist
the "easy open" lid off a jar of olives. I remembered reading in a book that
his prescription containers had tooth marks on the childproof caps because,
in frustration, he had tried to gnaw them off.
I know how he must have felt. I finally used a screwdriver to pry the
vacuum-sealed lid off the olive jar. For a fleeting moment I had considered
breaking the jar in the sink and salvaging what olives I could (or resorting to
a lemon peel for my martini).
The higher point here is that many products, and how they are packaged,
ignore the physical limitations of an aging population. I'm a fairly healthy
specimen; however, I often find myself struggling not only with lids but a lot
of other things, like the thick plastic armour that encases most small
electronic products. It has also taken several months for my wife and I to
master just the basics of the tiny, unclearly labelled buttons on the remote
control for a combination TV-DVD-VCR. I'm still not sure what "zero
return" and "repeat A-B" mean.
Sella Palsson of Salt Lake City was so frustrated looking for products to help
her mother see better that in 1999 she started a business called SeniorShops
to sell products to aid older people in coping with everyday problems. She
has a retail store in Salt Lake City, but 95 percent of her business comes
through the internet (www.seniorshops.com) or the telephone (800-8949549). In the last three years sales have more than tripled.
Ms. Palsson is among a growing number of entrepreneurs taking advantage
of the apparent unwillingness of many big manufacturers to tailor their
products to accommodate the graying of America.
"Manufacturers that make packaging that is hard to get into are just not
thinking," she said. "The baby boomers are the largest part of the population
and they're getting older and have money to spend."
One of SeniorShops' most popular products is a cordless phone for people
with hearing and vision difficulties. It amplifies a caller's voice and has large
lighted numbers for dialling. It costs $109.95, plus shipping. Another is a
device called a Videolupe for people with macular degeneration. It can be
hooked up to a television so that magnified images of photographs or printed
material can be displayed on the screen. It's $499.95, plus shipping.
Other popular products include low-cost gadgets for kitchen chores like
opening jars. There are also talking clocks and watches, and even a talking
caller ID device ($36.95) that announces who's calling.
Of course, some of these products are available at big retail stores. But they
are usually not displayed in one place, and finding them can be a haphazard
process.
"What makes companies like us unique is that these products are our sole
focus," said Andrea Tannenbaum, who started Dynamic Living
(www.dynamic-living.com; 888-940-0605) as an internet-only retailer in
Windsor, Conn., in 1997. Since then it has had yearly sales growth of 30 to
40 percent and has expanded to include catalogue sales, which now account
for 30 percent of business.
"We've been increasingly moving to catalogue sales because many of our
customers don't have access to the internet," she said.
One of Dynamic Living's most popular offerings is offset hinges that allow a
door to be opened a couple of inches wider for wheelchairs and walkers.
They cost $24.99 a pair, plus shipping.
Lids Off is another big seller. It's an electric jar opener made by Black &
Decker and priced at $39.99. Demand is so strong that the product is backordered. "I don't think Black & Decker anticipated how popular Lids Off
was going to be," Ms. Tannenbaum said.
She noted that many of these products were not made exclusively for older
people. They could also help those with disabilities or temporary limitations
resulting from an accident or surgery.
She is keenly aware that the baby boomers are a prime target for businesses
like hers. "Older people will often just get by if products like this aren't put
in front of them," she said. "The baby boomers, on the other hand, will seek
out products to help them because they won't accept limitations as readily as
the older generation. But boomers don't like to think of themselves as old.
So we don't use the words 'disability' or 'senior' on our website. We just say,
here's a functional problem and here's a solution to that problem."
Connie Hallquist, the owner of an online and catalogue store called Gold
Violin (www.goldviolin.com; 877-648-8400) in Charlottesville, Va., says
her internet sales have increased about 25 percent a year since she started in
1999. But overall business this year has grown threefold because of a
marketing arrangement with QVC, the television shopping channel.
ONE of her big sellers is the Secret Agent Walking Stick ($69, plus
shipping), which has a built-in flashlight and pill compartment. Big-button
remote-control devices for televisions are also popular, along with the Jar
Pop, a device for opening jars; it looks like a cross between a shoehorn and a
bottle opener and costs $5.95. There's also a jumbo caller ID display
($89.95) that shows a caller's name and phone number in large type.
"We try to stress products that are stylish, well designed and fun; nobody
wants to face shopping in a medical supply store," Ms. Hallquist said. "I
aspire to be the Williams-Sonoma of products that will help people stay
independent and active."
Fred Brock is an editor at The Times. His column on the approach and
arrival of retirement appears the second Sunday of each month. Email:
fbrock@nytimes.com
Copyright 2003 by the New York Times Co. Reprinted with permission.
FURNACE, SPEAK TO US!
By: Chris and Marie Stark
Editor's Note: Chris and Marie Stark are long-time advocates for
increased access, universal design and true inclusion for persons who are
blind. They live in Ottawa, Ontario.
“It’s 6:30 a.m. Please hurry,” the talking alarm clock tells us. Picking up the
bedside phone, we disarm the home alarm system and are told that the
internal temperature is 18 degrees and outside it’s minus ten. We figure it is
much too cold to get out of bed, but a couple of telephone keystrokes later,
the furnace speaks through the phone and tells us it is now set to 21 degrees
and rumbles into life.
Welcome to another day in the Stark household.
When our children left the nest, and we decided to purchase a newly built
bungalow in an adult lifestyle community, our desire to live independently
was our guiding principle. We were seeking a level of integration where
technology would enhance our abilities and would contribute to our quality
of life. In our dream home, we wanted to obtain an array of services that met
our needs, and that we could use efficiently, and at the same cost as our
sighted neighbours.
We wanted to know about smart house design techniques such as
programmable thermostats, environmental and security equipment that can
be operated without visual prompts, audio house locators, intercoms and
phones whose features were not screen dependent, appliances with
accessibility features, lighting considerations, and other cost effective design
hints for persons who are blind.
We were disappointed in the lack of information available from the building
industry about the choices that could help homeowners who are blind.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, for example, did not have any
relevant information for people who have disabilities, besides that for people
who use wheelchairs. Organizations for the blind, like the Canadian National
Institute for the Blind (CNIB), had no experience or advice to offer in this
area.
This lack of information made us feel like we were experimenters--on our
own, once again.
One of our biggest problems was obtaining information such as operating
manuals, satellite or cable channel guides and feature sheets in formats we
could read. We need electronic information files without columns, graphics
and charts. Compared to braille, or printing costs, for that matter, meeting
our customer service need for information is simple, within the capability of
most companies and relatively inexpensive.
We set out to equip our new house with smart home technology, without the
accessibility barriers of visual only on-screen programming and menus, or
keypads we cannot feel.
We did lots of research and talked to many persons who are blind, in search
of solutions to annoying barriers. We thought that the simpler the solution,
the more effective and usable it would be. Solutions that work would be a
mix of traditional devices and experimental technology, together with
ingenuity. We did find some solutions, but often at a higher cost than our
neighbours.
The outside lights are now integrated into our talking smart home security
system. We can program them ourselves, so they are turned on and off at the
appropriate times, according to changes in daylight or dark.
We considered using a home sound emitting locator device to help us find
our house, but opted for a low-tech solution. A wind chime provides
confirmation that our guide dogs are on the right track.
The integrated automatic garage door opening system gives us quick access
to the garage, where we dry our guide dogs and clean the mud off them
before entering the house.
A front door voice intercom allows us to check who has rung the doorbell,
from speakers located in key places within our home. This system also
announces when a door or window is opened, and which one. Being
surprised in your own home, or having to open a door without knowing who
is there, are legitimate security concerns. Looking through the window or
peephole to see who is there is something most homeowners do
automatically. We can now also choose to send the unwanted salesperson
away, without opening the door.
The intercom system allows us to communicate without having to yell from
one end of the house to the other, and not really hearing the message clearly.
The call for supper now comes over the intercom, which has replaced the old
dinner gong.
We continue to have difficulty with phone service accessibility, including
call answering, voice mail and call display. We did try a small talking caller
ID device, but found it did not provide all the information we need, at the
same cost as those who can see. No two phone models have the same key
layout, and function key labels are neither tactile nor audible. Speed dialling
features, furthermore, require the operator to use visual prompts on the
screen. We are still seeking solutions to some of these phone barriers.
As alluded to earlier, we can use our telephone to control the security
system, some lights, heating and air conditioning, with voice prompts and
action confirmations via voice or beeps. This can also be done through
telephones outside our home, which is a convenient feature.
We have high speed internet connection with multiple computers
simultaneously and independently accessing the world, using email, surfing
the web and listening to online radio. We can scan documents, such as
operating manuals and product directions, and then read them with our
refreshable braille display or talking computers.
In-house email and file transfer capacity between computers is important for
us as no two persons use the same equipment configurations. We have a
Residential Universal Network (RUN) box for distributing computer, phone
and video signals throughout the house.
Our VCR has talking on-screen programming that lets us set the event timer,
by ourselves, to record programs. We only wish that the new digital
television and DVD player on-screen programming had been introduced
with an audio option, which would have given us easy access to this
entertainment information.
Since we have access to multiple independent computer, television, radio
and internet capabilities, we both can watch different programs at the same
time--Marie her hockey or football game, and Chris the news. We have
hooked up a small transmitter to one of our computers, and we can now
broadcast internet programs through the house and pick them up on any
radio, even in the backyard!
We have acquired a new clock that sings to us on the hour with different bird
melodies, but which mercifully has a sensor that stops it from singing after
dark, just like the real creatures in the trees!
Our electric stove has a numeric keypad that has been labelled in braille,
which enables us to set oven temperatures and other functions like selfcleaning and timers by ourselves, with accuracy and confidence. The stove
also beeps when dinner is ready. There are now some talking microwaves
available, but we will use our old one until it gives up the struggle.
There are still some kitchen challenges we have not totally solved. For
instance, we still have to label some products with braille, in order to
identify them, and package directions are still inaccessible. The braille
cookbook provides good recipes, as long as we get the right ingredients from
the packages, with print-only labels and instructions!
One type of information we have and need is the weight given us as we step
onto our talking scales. On second thought, maybe we could do without that
information, after all!
ACCESSIBILITY OF CONSUMER ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
By: Jim McCarthy
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from Voice of the Nation's Blind,
December 1, 2004: http://www.voiceofthenationsblind.org
During the past century many advances in technology, such as talking books,
reading machines, faster production of braille, access to computers and the
development of the internet, have afforded the blind better access to the
world around them. In spite of these advances, developments in consumer
electronics technology have made access to many common devices difficult
or often impossible to operate without vision, leaving blind people unable to
perform formerly routine tasks.
The Problem
Until the past couple of decades, blind people could operate virtually all
electronic devices intended for the broad consumer market, even those of a
highly specialized nature. In contrast, today's home electronic devices use
multi-level menus, providing only visual feedback through which all tasks
are performed. Rather than making access easier, new technology
complicates and sometimes prohibits access for the blind. However, it does
not have to be this way.
Due to computerized control systems, devices such as today's audio/video
receivers have become much more complicated than similarly priced units of
twenty years ago. Besides the development of microprocessor-based control
and switching systems, this increased capability has been accomplished
through multifunction control buttons, menu systems and displays that can
convey a variety of information. While some of today's cost-saving designs
can annoy sighted people, they actually prohibit the enjoyment of home
entertainment by the blind.
Well into the 1980's the average blind consumer could operate the typical
stereo system without help. The use of braille labels and other tactilely
discernable markings (filing a notch or painting nail polish on a dial)
allowed blind consumers to easily adjust the many settings of a stereo. In
addition, the status of switches could be determined by touch using their
physical position, in or out, up or down, etc., with each one performing
known consistent functions.
Today's stereos may contain knobs and switches, but their use is not intuitive
through non-visual means. For example, a volume control knob may rotate
continuously providing no indication of volume level. When one presses the
"ON" button, will the sound be produced at the level of the last noisy party?
Although some devices possess jog wheels with discernible clicks (which
theoretically render them accessible to the blind), these clicks often do not
provide reliable information to the blind about the settings. This is because
the electronics do not consistently register all the clicks, making the clicks
just another frustration for the blind. While sequences of button presses can
sometimes be memorized, this is only possible after extensive
experimentation and research with the aid of a sighted person. Additionally,
some functions can only be addressed by answering inaccessible screen
prompts. To make matters worse, many of today's devices simply have too
many functions to memorize.
TVs and VCRs are other examples of home electronic equipment that now
provide challenges for use by the blind. Many of the first VCRs allowed the
recording speed to be selected by a two or three position switch. However,
on today's machines, the speed is often toggled by a push-button or set from
within a menu, preventing the blind user from determining which speed is
selected. Determining whether the TV tuner in the VCR would receive cable
TV or direct channels was often accomplished by moving another switch.
Today, the set of channels received is generally programmed from within a
setup menu that is not accessible. Even such basic audio controls as
adjustments of tone and balance on some televisions are submerged two or
three levels deep in on-screen menus. Separate dedicated knobs for these
functions have largely disappeared. Entering a program into today's VCRs is
seldom successful without the benefit of prompts and access to error
messages. Using a modern set-top cable box to order an On-Demand movie
is often impossible without being able to see the menus displayed on the
television screen.
Working Toward A Solution
While we know what we need, we lack the design and manufacturing
experience to know the best way to make it happen. Only if the blind create
a partnership with designers and manufacturers can the goal of accessible
home electronics be achieved. If this doesn't occur soon, we will eventually
find it impossible to operate even the simplest devices. Besides limiting our
entertainment options and our ability to perform household chores, our
ability to get and keep a job could be greatly reduced, largely undoing the
progress we have made during the past century. Conversely, working to
solve this problem now will assure that blind people of all ages derive the
benefits of today's available home electronics, and that more of our aging
population continues to remain independent.
We have seen examples of technology that demonstrate that these problems
can be overcome. Devices such as fully accessible talking answering
machines, clocks, calculators and videocassette recorders of the past,
illustrate one approach to accessibility. Using buttons with good tactile
feedback in combination with the innovative use of varying audio tones to
provide information to persons without vision can work well. Devices that
can be linked to computers with a wireless interface offer other intriguing
possibilities. Some manufacturers of amateur radio equipment have created
add-on options providing necessary information to the blind operator.
With the aging of the population, the size of the consumer market that will
face the problems outlined here is projected to increase substantially over the
next decade. Anticipating this increase rather than being forced to react to it
later will lower costs and improve the chances of creating products usable by
the blind. Please join with us to work towards greater accessibility of home
electronics to ensure the independence of all blind Americans.
WISH-LIST FOR DIGITAL TELEVISION
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from E-Access Bulletin,
Issue 29, May 2002: http://www.headstar.com/eab
The ability to change the text size and colour balance of the electronic
programme guides would be the most useful accessibility function to build
in to interactive digital television services, according to a survey of more
than 200 vision-impaired people published by the RNIB last month.
Speech output for all functions was also favoured by 165 of the 204
respondents, while a similar number called for audio described programming
and fewer functions.
One survey respondent said: "I'd like a screen-reading function (like JAWS
for a PC) on all text-based screens so that I can use my TV similarly to the
way in which I use my PC." Another said: "If this one device could have a
selection of interfaces (visual or otherwise), text, sign language, audio
(speech) output and variable settings, then all users could customize it to
their personal needs."
A third respondent looked forward to an age of technology convergence: "In
the long run I'd like one machine that serves as an entertainment centre, PC
and communications device, so that everything I currently do with a PC,
telephone, TV, stereo, video, DVD player and so on could be housed in one
bit of kit with one screen, one set of speakers and one keyboard, mouse or
remote control. I've got too much to plug in right now!"
The survey was stage four of a five-stage research programme conducted by
Sylvie Perera of the RNIB Scientific Research Unit. The first three parts
provide an overview of the issues; an assessment of the use of smart cards as
a way for people to save personal viewing settings; and a usability
assessment by partially sighted people. The final stage attempted to create a
design specification for some of the requested functions.
To download the report see: http://www.tiresias.org/itv/intro.htm
Copyright 2005 Headstar Ltd.: http://www.headstar.com
To subscribe to this free monthly bulletin, email eab-subs@headstar.com
with "subscribe eab" in the subject header. To unsubscribe at any time, put
"unsubscribe eab" in the subject header.
ENTERTAINMENT DELIVERED TO THE COMFORT OF HOME
By: Pamela Muñoz
Editor’s Note: Pamela Munoz is Communications Officer for VoicePrint
Canada.
VoicePrint Canada is a not-for-profit charity established in 1989 to enhance
access to printed news, information and entertainment by more than 3.2
million vision- and print-restricted Canadians.
We read newspapers and magazines for people who cannot read for
themselves 24hours/day and 7days/week. We also provide special
programming to discuss issues that impact blind and low-vision
communities.
VoicePrint Canada is a service that is currently being provided to you in the
comfort of your own home with your current cable, satellite or internet
provider!
Our programming is divided into half-hour shows that focus on various
topics, from Science & Technology to Arts & Entertainment. We read from
more than 100 different publications from coast to coast to coast.
VoicePrint Canada can be accessed on the Secondary Audio Program
(S.A.P.) of CBC Newsworld; Star Choice, ExpressVu and Look TV audio
channels; and on the web at http://www.voiceprintcanada.com at no
additional cost.
VoicePrint Canada recently launched the SAP-TV Audio Receiver, whereby
someone with a vision impairment can independently access the S.A.P. at
the touch of a button. This receiver was in response to the feedback we
received about the difficulty of accessing the S.A.P. independently.
With this receiver, not only can VoicePrint Canada be heard instantly, so can
some of our AudioVision Canada described programming on various
channels across the country. This is an exciting solution for everyone to gain
easier access to the S.A.P. and its benefits.
Our second division is AudioVision Canada, which is Canada’s pre-eminent
audio description service.
We add narration to the soundtrack of cinematographic works so on-screen
action sequences are independently accessible by viewers who are blind or
have low vision. This narration does not interfere with the original
soundtrack and this allows blind and low-vision audiences to enjoy the film
or show with persons who are sighted.
AudioVision Canada’s products are currently available at your local library
and if they aren't, we encourage you to ask your library to serve your needs.
Catalogues are available at 1-866-966-7667.
We recently started our Local Broadcast Centre initiative, which will open
100 sites across the country. Community news, grocery specials and local
events from Victoria to St. John's will be made available in an audio format
on the internet and available for anyone to access.
For more information about VoicePrint Canada, the SAP-TV Audio
Receiver, programming or how to become a member, please call 1-800-5676755 or visit: http://www.voiceprintcanada.com
MIXED WELCOME FOR FIRST ACCESSIBLE DVD
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from E-Access Bulletin, Issue 59,
November 2004.
The RNIB has issued a qualified welcome to a new DVD version of the
Shawshank Redemption, the first general release film DVD to be issued with
audio description and talking menus for vision-impaired people.
Audio description offers a descriptive narrative of actions, gestures, scene
changes and other visual information which would not otherwise be
available to vision-impaired people.
The new DVD has been produced by Granada Ventures
(http://www.granadamedia.com) on the tenth anniversary of the film's initial
release.
The RNIB has broadly welcomed the new three-disc boxed set DVD,
although it criticized the fact that only one of the three discs has audiodescribed content with talking menus. This means that while vision-impaired
people can access the main feature and choose specific scenes, they can't, for
example, access interviews with actors on the other discs.
Additionally, when the discs are put into a DVD player, there is no way of
identifying which disc is which.
"The talking menu feature should be available on all three discs. If you
couldn't see at all and put disc two or three into your DVD player, you'd
have no idea what was on that disc, let alone how to get to the area you were
interested in," says Jill Whitehead, broadcasting and talking images officer
at the RNIB. She also criticized the fact that the disc that contains audio
content only speaks three out of six of its menu options, meaning visionimpaired people are excluded from some content such as the directors' cut.
"The problem with this product is that the publisher has decided for blind
and visually impaired people what they might want to access," says
Whitehead. "This is in effect a form of censorship." If Granada Ventures had
consulted with the RNIB, it would have been able to avoid such basic design
faults, Whitehead says.
However, she welcomed the broad efforts towards accessibility being made.
"Granada have made a giant step forward in making DVDs accessible and
showing to the rest of the industry what's possible, they just haven't gone
quite far enough. Hopefully this will be the first of many more and, for a
first attempt, this is a very commendable effort."
Copyright 2005 Headstar Ltd.: http://www.headstar.com
VIDEO GAMES IN THE DARK
By: Mike Hambly
Editor's Note: Mike Hambly lives in Calgary, Alberta, where he is a social
worker with the Independent Living Resource Centre. He is married with
two children.
Have you ever played video games before or hung out with other people
who play video games? Have you wondered how you could play video
games as a person who is blind?
Stop wondering and start playing!
I lost my sight in a car accident a little over ten years ago. I got introduced to
computers and I was absolutely blown away that I could type a letter or
move around on the screen with a voice talking to me--namely JAWS.
But this became boring very fast. I thought there must be some kind of
entertainment aspect to computers for a blind user, mustn’t there?
I spoke with some of my sighted friends, and they said, “Why don’t you play
video games?”
I thought, “Yeah, right. How the heck am I going to move a guy around the
screen to go and shoot something when I can’t see the screen!”
So I started to search the internet, and I found a few very simple games of
text adventure, Battleship and a few memory games.
Again, I was blown away!
I had a hunger for more, so the search continued. I finally found Phil
Vlasak’s website: http://www.pcsgames.net Phil Vlasak put this site
together. It is really wonderful and I still use it today.
There is a list of many, many game developers on this site. I just love his
description: “We make games that tickle your ears.”
This is great! Games where you drive a car or motorcycle around a track,
Packman, ping pong, card games, adventure games, a Star Trek game,
Monopoly, Wheel of Fortune, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, Duck Hunt,
darts, Dungeons and Dragons, pinball, Tank Commander, a submarine
game, a game where you are a blind person walking through a village, and
much more!
So as you can tell, there is a wide variety from which to choose.
Can you imagine being able to play a computer bowling game without
having sight? Now you can--it is all here!
What is nice about most of these games is that you can download a free trial,
or sometimes even the whole game is free. With being able to download a
trial, you can get a taste of the game to see if you like it or not. This also
allows users who can’t afford to purchase games access to entertainment as
well.
If there happens to be a computer in your home that your kids or other
family members use and you are unable to afford a screen reader, no
worries! Some of these games don’t require a screen reader because they
have their own built-in speech capabilities!
One of my favourite games is called “Grizzly Gulch”. This game is set up
like an old western town, where you go around and gather various things and
shoot the bad guys. Actually, no one really dies in this game; once you are
shot, you have to just go back to where you last started from and then try
again! I think this is really cool!
Another option is that some of these games you can play against other
people over the internet. These games have given us some of the same
choices as sighted gamers.
So I really encourage you to go to Phil Vlasak’s website and check it out!
If you would like further information or if you have questions, please feel
free to email me at: Braille@telus.net
Please put “video games in the dark” in the subject line, as I get a lot of
Spam and I don’t want to delete your email.
Happy playing, and don’t forget to leave your computer monitor off when
playing these games so you can really blow your friends and family away!
SHOPPING: ANOTHER INDIRECT BENEFIT OF THE ACCESSIBLE
INTERNET
By: Marcia Cummings
Editor’s Note: Marcia Cummings is National Secretary of the Alliance for
Equality of Blind Canadians.
I have always found shopping at a store for anything a stressor. The only
times this is not the case are those when I have specific items in mind and
can simply walk in and request them. Otherwise, when I want to browse, I
have to either beg a friend or relative to accompany me or hope there is a
suitably inactive service person at the store who wouldn’t mind spending
some time with me.
Neither is a foolproof method, and therefore shopping has always been
stressful for me.
Enter the internet and the many online stores that have sprung up in the past
few years.
There are sites selling everything from food to clothes, music to medicine.
Not all are accessible, but there are a growing number of them that have
made the effort and they have changed my shopping experience forever!
Let’s compare the old and the new shopping experiences.
I walk into a store with my tentative list of wanted items. My friend, or the
store employee, and I begin the tour of the aisles in search of the items.
“Oh, wait,” I say. “I just thought of something—do you have this other
item?”
Some discouraging remark is then uttered by my guide--“We were just in
that aisle—why didn’t you ask then?” or “I don’t have all day.”
The result?
I give up and buy my original list of items, and make a mental note to find
another store to purchase the ones I couldn’t find that day. I then have words
with my friend, if my guide had been a friend, about how frustrating the
experience had been.
Now, enter my computer and Amazon.ca or any other accessible online
store.
I log in and start searching for my list of items, adding each one to my order
after verifying price, format, etc. But then, all of a sudden, I think of another
movie I want, one not on my original list.
No problem! I simply search for it and voila! They have it! Into my basket it
goes—figuratively! No fuss, no complaints, no stress!
Maybe I even decide to browse and just type in a word or two to start a
search. Again, the list of results comes up and I’m free to explore it and
choose something--or nothing.
Some people are concerned about the security of online use of credit cards,
but my view is that there is no guarantee that the clerk who hands me my
card and receipt in the regular store hasn’t quietly written down the number
for later personal misuse.
In fact, since a detailed explanation of an online purchase is always shown
before the order is confirmed, including tax and shipping amounts, I actually
get more information through the online method than I am likely to get at a
walk-in store. And all this information is in a form that I can read myself-without assistance.
Privacy at last!
There are certain types of items, of course, for which there is no substitute
for actually going into a store and examining the merchandise—things like
clothing and jewellery.
But for many other items, you can’t beat the internet. I have browsed and
made purchases at many sites, including Ebay.ca,
SpeakToMeCatalogue.com and Mint.ca.
There is only one disadvantage to this shopping method—it encourages the
impulse buy. But I’m learning to resist—slowly!
NOT SO PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
More than disabled need a handy-bus
Editor's Note: This editorial is reprinted with permission from the
Yellowknifer, November 17, 2004, courtesy of Northern News Services Ltd.
It's 40-below, there's a fresh three inches of snow on the ground and you
need groceries.
But you're not going anywhere soon because you need a wheelchair to get
around. Stiff weather and a blanket of snow don't mix well with wheelchair
mobility. Same goes for people using canes or walkers.
In a city of any size--and Yellowknife is one of those--a call to summon the
handy-transit service would be a given.
Not here. Not yet. There's a taxi that will handle disabled people, but the
cost can bring on a choking fit.
"Would you be willing to pay $30 every time you go shopping?"
wheelchair-bound Cornelius Van Dyke asked city council recently.
There's more than the mobility disabled who need such a bus. Less than spry
seniors need a transit service like this because it also comes to your door.
When the bones are fragile, an icy walk just one neighbourhood block long
in the teeth of a January winter's day can be too much.
Both groups are generally on limited incomes. Paying for taxi trips can be
too much of a drain on that income.
A combination of city money and sponsorship support from a service club or
other partner(s) may be a starting point.
The city's devotion to public transit should not exclude a growing segment
of Yellowknifers.
OPERATORS OF ACCESSIBLE TRANSPORTATION IN RURAL
AREAS "STARVING OF CASH"
By: Brian Adeba
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from the Chronicle-Herald, December
4, 2004.
Accessible transportation in rural Nova Scotia is not sustainable with current
funding, says the chairman of the Nova Scotia League for Equal
Opportunities.
Claredon Robicheau says rural operators of accessible transportation
services need more money because of a rise in demand.
"They are starving of cash," he said.
Mr. Robicheau said 92,000 passengers a year use the services, up from
60,000 two years ago.
He said the province allocates $10,000 for each vehicle and there are 20
vehicles serving seniors, people with disabilities and low-income earners in
eight Nova Scotia counties.
"We are saying $10,000 funding toward a $90,000 vehicle is not sustainable
in the long term," Mr. Robicheau said.
He said the amount should increase to $20,000 per vehicle so operators can
provide quick and efficient service to those in need.
This would also reduce ambulance costs, he argued.
"Imagine a senior calling an ambulance to see a dentist, does that make
sense to you?" he asked.
Mr. Robicheau was speaking in an interview on the occasion of the League
for Equal Opportunities releasing its report card grading the province's
political parties on their policies on accessible transportation.
The categories include technical aids, home care and support, accessibility,
transportation, education, housing and relations with the disabled
community.
The Tories received a C-minus, the NDP a D-plus and the Liberals an F.
Jerry Pye, the NDP critic for seniors and people with disabilities, said he was
disappointed with his party's grade.
"Mind you, our party has put in close to 67 pages worth of information
regarding what we have done on behalf of the disabled community in Nova
Scotia in the last year," he said.
The report card is commendable, Mr. Pye said, but there ought to be a better
way to evaluate parties that are not in government.
Mr. Robicheau said the report card is intended as a working document to
seek solutions.
"We do not intend it to be a negative issue," he said.
Community Services Minister David Morse could not be reached for
comment. Liberal transportation critic Russell MacKinnon also did not
return calls.
ONTARIO’S ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEES:
INCLUSION OR ILLUSION?
Editor's Note: Under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2001, communities
with a population of 10,000 or more were required to establish local
advisory committees, comprised of a majority of persons with disabilities. A
number of our members have participated on these committees, and in this
compilation share some of their experiences.
ACCESSIBILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEES
By: Carole Robertson
Municipal governments have finally paid attention to the needs of the
disabled and have formed Accessibility Advisory Committees to enhance
community access and support. I am a member of the Markham committee,
and I represent the interests of persons who are blind.
The committee meets monthly to answer the concerns of the disabled that
are presented to it, and look at other communities to see what they do about
the access issues we are currently discussing. We also prepare a yearly plan
for the Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
We do site audits on new buildings, as well as on existing ones during
renovations. We look at blueprints and talk to engineers and architects to
ensure their buildings have proper signage, braille, and tactile markings on
floors, along with wheelchair ramps and accessible washrooms.
There is at least one council member on our committee, and our thoughts
and ideas are brought forth to the entire council for it to act on.
I feel these Accessibility Advisory Committees are a valuable resource for
municipal governments and do much good in planning change and making
the lives of persons with disabilities easier.
INCREASED INPUT?
By: Penny Leclair
The city of Ottawa's Accessibility Advisory Committee has 13 members
representing various disabilities--two persons are blind, one is deaf, one uses
a cochlear implant and captioning for communicating, a few are in
wheelchairs, and at least one is developmentally delayed.
When Ontario passed legislation calling for the creation of municipal
Accessibility Advisory Committees, Ottawa's committee was already in
place. It gave its views on various city activities, website design, alternative
formats, and access to streets, buildings and transportation.
Today, the committee is being asked for input more often, but it has had
little success in having access issues addressed.
Housing access is a concern that has not improved over the last four years.
Information is still difficult to obtain in readable formats for blind and
partially sighted people.
And the Audible Pedestrian Signals budget was brought down from
$150,000 to zero, and now it is back to $71,000.
One city councillor does sit on the Ottawa Accessibility Advisory
Committee, but views and concerns are not often pursued.
At least not on a consistent basis.
CITY OF KAWARTHA LAKES
By: Geof Collis
As a member of our city's Municipal Advisory Committee for Disabled
Persons, I witness firsthand the disappointment and frustration people feel in
the little that gets accomplished.
The last time appointments came up, half of the existing members retired for
various reasons, but mostly due to fighting the same battle for too many
years and getting nowhere. It was, and still is, very difficult to find
replacements, disabled or abled.
While I personally have seen a few issues that I have brought forward
addressed, they are really just baby steps and it is quite evident that it was
because of the relatively low cost that they were implemented at all.
One issue that has me really annoyed is trying to get correspondence in a
format I can read. As a member of our Accessibility Advisory Committee, I
should enjoy the same access to information as the rest of the committee, yet
time after time I am left out as it is only presented to me in print. I've been
battling this for two years and I still get the same excuses from the City.
One major accomplishment was making our city's website relatively
accessible by way of implementing an option to change background and
foreground colours, adding links to skip over groups of links or to go right to
the main body of text, adding descriptions to all images, giving links
meaningful names and removing Flash navigation, among other things.
But again, it is apparent that without a strong and enforceable Bill 118, our
City isn't going to continue keeping its website accessible.
Currently, pdf files are not accessible to screen reader users and are a
common problem throughout the internet. It's been two years since I first
brought this issue to the attention of our City, but they are still putting up
documentation in pdf format only.
No matter how many times the city has been informed of the need for
alternate formats, I still have to bring it to their attention and have it
corrected.
While this is in no way meant to diminish the plight of those in wheelchairs,
it is very difficult to get people representing the blind community onto
accessibility advisory committees. I believe this is a very important place for
us to be as the sighted have very little understanding of our needs. Without
proportionate representation on these committees, issues that affect our daily
lives will not be addressed properly.
That is unacceptable.
IMPETUS FOR CHANGE?
By: Mike Yale
In December, 2001, one year before the Ontarians with Disabilities Act
(ODA) was first enacted, my wife, Doreen, and I attended an all-candidates
meeting for the municipal election in Huntsville, where Hugh MacKenzie,
soon to be elected Mayor, committed to appointing a Huntsville Advisory
Committee for People with Disabilities.
That committee became a reality in 2002.
I was chosen Chair by Town Council and Doreen became a committee
member. We are both blind, but there was also representation by senior
citizens, persons with epilepsy, brain injury, mobility and hearing
impairments.
Over the next three years we researched issues and made recommendations
to the Town, the business community and local developers. We put on an
awareness seminar for Town staff and local business people. We persuaded
the Town to create nearly a dozen new parking spots with better signage. We
even instituted an award given to the business that had done the most during
the year to improve accessibility.
We spoke on radio and television, as well as inspiring local newspaper
coverage of our work and issues.
At no time during these years did the Mayor or the Council indicate any
concern over our work. In fact, we received commendations.
Once the ODA was officially proclaimed, each Town was expected to bring
forward an accessibility plan at the end of September, 2003. As Huntsville
was slow in putting its plan together and submitting it to our committee for
comment, the plan was not passed until November.
Although we all knew that a new Civic Centre and Town Hall were planned
with construction to commence in 2004, nothing in the plan indicated
temporarily housing the Town government in an old Planing Mill.
When we discovered (after passage of the plan) that the Planing Mill was
inaccessible--no elevator in a two-storey building, no usable washrooms,
doors too narrow for wheelchairs, and no parking spaces designated--we hit
the roof!
The Town had evidently forgotten about disability rights. Needless to say,
we were skeptical about the new Town Hall.
After hasty and somewhat acrimonious discussion, parking spaces were
created and a door with a buzzer was rigged up. Anyone wanting to meet an
official on the second floor could arrange to meet at our accessible library,
several blocks distant.
No accessible washroom. And with poor accessibility in the temporary
Town Hall, probably no hiring of anyone severely disabled.
Shortly after this incident, the Mayor arbitrarily decided to change our
procedures. He informed me that we were not an advocacy committee and
our advocacy efforts must stop. We were only advisory in nature and should
do research and make recommendations--recommendations that Council
could accept or reject.
The Mayor decided that appointment of committee members was his
prerogative and committee input was ignored. He laid down the new
procedures and was closed to objections. Our meetings were now recorded
and a Town official was assigned to attend every meeting, in addition to our
Council representative.
After some discussion, I resigned as Chair of the committee. I was not going
to become an Uncle Tom now after 35 years of advocating for people with
disabilities and their rights. Doreen withdrew from the committee a few
months later.
The committee had been forced to concede, to do the best it could under new
and repressive circumstances.
Whether we stepped on the Mayor's toes or those of his developer friends, I
do not know. But I do know that the Mayor tried to fix something that was
working well, and few if any accomplishments have occurred since then in
nearly a year of research and recommendations going to Council.
In the meantime, enormous new constructions are going up in and around
the Huntsville area, and we can only hope that our voice for equal treatment
and true accessibility will be heard over the sound of the jackhammers and
money flowing into developers' coffers.
But without strong enforcement mechanisms and direction to local towns as
to what they can and cannot do to restrict the work of ODA committees, the
ODA itself does not guarantee real progress for persons with disabilities.
Local interests are very entrenched and accessibility needs are often
incorrectly believed to mean spending money without substantial return.
Without a strong push from ODA committees or support from municipalities
and officials, we disabled may yet get left behind--as usual.
SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE
By: Devon Wilkins
Our Accessibility Advisory Committee here in Collingwood was struck just
four months prior to the date that the first accessibility plans were due.
In that first year, new ideas were met with reluctance on the part of the
representative from the town to even take them to other department heads;
however, several lively committee meetings finally resulted in audits being
done on all municipal buildings, and a series of recommendations being
presented to council in late November of that year.
In December of 2003, a new council was sworn in, and the committee was
blessed with more members who were willing to stand up and say that a
"no" without prior research wasn't good enough. By Christmas of 2004, it
was evident that our persistence was having tangible results.
The town hall elevator was finally made accessible to people who are blind
with the installation of both braille and raised print numbers; the town bus
route was altered to allow for a stop outside our Community Resource
Centre, which houses 14 agencies; and the reception counter in the town's
Leisure Department was lowered to accommodate individuals using
wheelchairs.
Our committee has three main goals for 2005.
We hope to work toward the installation of a TTY at the town hall.
Currently, the only TTY owned by the town is at the police station.
We're also pressing for more accessible elections. At the moment, voting is
conducted by mail-in ballot, exclusively in print. We would like to see the
availability of alternative formats, such as email and web page voting.
But the task that is perhaps the most daunting is to encourage politicians, cab
companies, the public transit system and non-profit organizations to enter
into meaningful discussions as to how to make our parallel transit system
more efficient.
As things stand now, people with disabilities frequently choose to stay at
home, rather than deal with the hassle and frustration of voice mails that are
sometimes not answered and pick-ups that sometimes don't materialize.
DOING MY PART
By: Libby Thaw
Since May of 2002, I have been a member of the Saugeen Shores
Accessibility Advisory Committee. Before then, there was no representation
by individuals with any degree of blindness, but now there are two--myself,
as well as a long time acquaintance of mine.
While I can’t be sure it was a direct result of my input, I feel a sense of
contribution to my community when I stroll around my small town and
notice tactile markings on curb cuts and Checkered Eye awareness stickers
posted in the municipal offices and on the doors and windows of many
businesses.
I feel very privileged to have the opportunity and ability to provide what
insights I have as a person with low vision, and to expand my own
understanding of the complexities of accessibility issues for people in my
local community, and society as a whole.
Note: For more information on the Checkered Eye, a symbol that identifies
the wearer as having low vision, please visit: http://www.checkeredeye.com
MD CONSIDERS SPECIAL NEEDS
By: Susan Kim
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from Disaster News Network
(Maryland), November 23, 2004.
Columbia, Md.--People with disabilities will be better prepared for disasters
if they're truly a part of emergency planning, Maryland state officials urged
Monday.
Maryland's efforts on this front could become a model for the nation,
because that kind of disaster planning doesn't happen often, explained Carl
Cameron, president of the Washington, D.C.-based Disability Preparedness
Center.
"People with disabilities have a wide variety of communications, support
and health needs that differentiate them from persons without disabilities,"
Cameron explained.
Those needs were on the minds of nearly 200 people who attended the
Maryland Department of Disabilities Regional Conference on Emergency
Preparedness and Response for Individuals with Disabilities.
With four regional conferences, the state of Maryland is opening up dialogue
between people with disabilities, disaster planners, service providers and
others who care, said JoAnne Knapp, director of emergency preparedness
policy for the Maryland Department of Disabilities.
"This is obviously very needed and we got this on the radar screen early on,"
she said. "These conferences are important first steps, and this dialogue will
be ongoing."
Knapp and others plan to visit local communities across the state to hone in
on different disabilities and potential needs.
Communications are often the most serious challenge--and the problem
often starts during the warning phase of a disaster. Radio and television
news about hazards may not reach people with disabilities.
Conventional weather warnings, for example, often simply don't reach
people with disabilities. "What happens?" Cameron asked. "You get a beep
on the television. If you're visually impaired, you hear the beep but you can't
read the news crawler that has the information you need to know. If you're
hearing impaired, you can't hear the beep in the first place, so you don't even
know the crawler exists."
"We need multiple sources of emergency warnings," he said, and disaster
planners are working on technology to solve that problem. "There's a
microchip that allows individuals with disabilities to carry a card with them-a 'smartcard' that would allow emergency responders to locate people
within buildings."
After the warnings phase--when a hazard turns into a disaster-comprehension may be a problem.
"The ability to comprehend is very important," he said--and so is the ability
to cope. "An emotional disorder in the event of a crisis is going to be
magnified," he said.
Or a learning disability can interfere with the capability to respond, he said.
"Maybe there are people like me in this audience--people who have trouble
with multi-step directions."
Emergency planners need to understand what it's like to disrupt the routine
of people who often have very set routines, he said.
And, sometimes, standard evacuation rules will have to be flexible. "It's a
simple question: when do you stay and when do you go? And who decides?"
After the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, officials in Washington, D.C., couldn't
seem to decide, he observed. "They couldn't even decide whether to go or
stay. At the Federal Emergency Management Agency, they couldn't decide
whether to let people stay or go. Then they decided to let people leave--but
they closed most of the bridges and, for a time, they closed the metro."
In one government agency--which Cameron declined to name specifically—
a man with hearing impairments and some visual impairment was told he
had to go. "He said, 'no, I'm not going.' But the government officials kept
saying: You have to go. And he kept saying no.
"But no one ever said: why won't you go?"
The man didn't leave, Cameron said, because he didn't know where to go.
"He knew if he left where he was, all his support systems were gone."
Disaster planners shouldn't overlook the capability of people with
disabilities to decide what's best for them. "People we think are the most
prepared for emergencies are often the least prepared. And sometimes the
people we think will come apart at the seams do real well."
Persons with disabilities don't need to be planned for, he said--they need to
be included in the planning process and their voices need to be heard. "The
way I find out about disaster simulation exercises is when they're over.
Coordination needs to take place. Service providers need to talk to
emergency responders and they all need to talk to people with disabilities."
Conference participant Mary Kemp said she was excited to get a dialogue
going. An employee at the Freedom Center--a centre for independent living
in Frederick, Md.--Kemp helps people with disabilities develop a plan to live
on their own.
But right now that plan doesn't include emergency preparedness, she said-and that's unfortunate. "We need to help each person develop an individual
preparedness plan," she said. "A conference like this, it shows you where
your deficits are. It's just not part of what you think about--but it needs to
be."
For a person with a disability, a power outage can be a disaster, she pointed
out. "What about people living in their homes on a respirator? They certainly
have to have a plan to cope with a power outage or that becomes a very
serious disaster."
Cameron added another example: in the southeastern U.S., he said, during a
hurricane, emergency evacuation transportation was dispatched for residents
of a coastal community. When the bus arrived, the driver was surprised to
find some people with disabilities needed a better-equipped bus. The bus
driver left the people with disabilities standing by the side of the road until
such a bus could be located.
"It is essential to ensure that your emergency response plan considers
persons with disabilities and other special needs," he concluded.
BLIND FIREFIGHTER SAVES LIVES
By: Mary Nelson
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from KSFY.com, South
Dakota, October 9, 2004.
A medical condition could change someone's life in a matter of minutes.
And for a Dell Rapids man, it did just that.
For Will Boever, the sound of a working fire detector is music to his ears.
The 34-year-old has given the last 10 years of his life to being a volunteer
firefighter with the Dell Rapids Fire Department. But eight years ago it
wasn't his ears, but his eyes that caused him to hang up his water hose. "I
could be sitting at home right now, in my lazy boy, bitter and grumpy. But
you have a choice to move on with a disability," said Boever.
In 1996 a blood clot in the back of Will's brain damaged his optical nerves-leaving him almost completely blind. "I could be sitting there with the pager
on--it goes off and says it’s a structure fire. And I pop up out of my chair
and run to the door, and I'm like, I can't drive."
The father of four was devastated when he lost his sight, and tried to quit
being a firefighter. But the guys at the Dell Rapids Fire Department--who he
calls family--wouldn't let him. Instead, Will found he could still save lives-without physically putting out fires. He now handles all the fire safety
training for the department. "Saving that one child's life, or the family's life
will give me great pleasure," said Boever.
On Friday, 3rd graders from Dell Rapids Public School stopped by the fire
station. Taiven Logan said, "We learned about fire safety and what to do if
you catch on fire." Jordan Stone added, "You need to check batteries every
month." The kids enjoy Will's fire classes, but by watching him on the job--
you'd never guess he's blind--and most people don't. Dell Rapids Fire
Fighter Denny Fossum said, "None of the kids know he can't see. Unless it's
a friend of the family."
Throughout the whole ordeal, Will leaned on his family at home and at the
Dell Rapids Fire Department--people he wouldn't trade for anything. "The
group of guys. They treat me as if I'm sighted. They give me a little grief, I
think if they give me grief--they like me," said Boever. "We razz him a lot.
Hopefully that's how he knows he belongs with us," said Fossum.
160 kids went through Will's safety class this past week alone.
MARSHALLING THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE FOR ALL
By: Theresa Andrews
Editor's Note: Theresa Andrews is President of the Lower Mainland
Chapter of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians. She lives in
Vancouver, British Columbia.
Over the last six months, a significant number of our Chapter members have
been active in the community participating in a Self-Defense course
developed for blind and vision-impaired individuals and that consists of a
combination of Martial Arts and Self-Defense techniques.
When Michael Sirota of SIROTA'S ALCHYMY, a Martial Arts school in
Richmond, British Columbia, contacted Alliance for Equality of Blind
Canadians looking for people to take his course, I quickly discovered that we
had someone very special. Not only does he run a program designed
specifically for persons who are blind or partially sighted, his credentials and
accomplishments include:
* World Taekwondo Federation--5th Dan Black Belt;
* World Hapkido Federation--4th Dan Black Belt;
* Certified Canadian Coach (Level 3); and
* Certified Wheelchair Sports Coach (Level 2).
Other experience includes:
* Chief Commissioner--Canadian Taekwondo Commission;
* Head of Team Canada--2004 World University Taekwondo
Championships (Greece);
* International Technical Director (Taekwondo)--International Martial Arts
Federation of the Deaf;
* Pioneer of Martial Arts Instruction for People with Special Learning
Needs; and
* Creator of Sightless Self-Defense.
When I approached Vancouver Chapter members and asked them if they
would like to take Master Sirota's Self-Defense course, about a dozen
agreed. During our first class when the instructor asked us all what we
expected to get out of the course, the two main answers were learning how
to defend oneself if attacked, and physical exercise.
But some may ask, “Why have a segregated class?”
Several members of our Chapter have or are participating in other Martial
Arts programs, and a common concern is that these other classes focus on
teaching the material from a visual perspective; thus, it is more difficult and
takes longer to learn.
Master Sirota says, "From the instruction point of view, I use more
explanation via words, rather than showing the students how to do it." As
well as giving excellent explanations of the physical movement, he also uses
touch extensively to illustrate the actions.
Our initial Self-Defense course was based on a Martial Art called Hapkido,
which focuses on Self-Defense and emphasizes escaping various holds and
grabs, joint locks, joint manipulations, throws and takedowns. Its main
philosophy is to use the attacker's energy to the defender's advantage to
escape an attack.
We also learned several techniques to defend ourselves using a White Cane.
Explains Master Sirota, "The Martial Art of Hapkido trains in various
weapons in addition to the empty hand training. One of the weapons found
in Hapkido training is the walking cane. Traditionally, it is not the same cane
as the one used by blind people, but the one that is used by hospitals and the
elderly.
“Another martial art that I have trained in and acquired instructor
certification in is Eskrima, also known as Kali and Arnis. In Eskrima the
main focus is on weaponry training, including sticks (28 inches), short staff
(40 inches), staff (5-6 foot), swords and knives. As to why the cane is used-it is a non-offensive tool that is used by many. The cane, just like a staff, can
be used for striking, blocking, joint locks and takedowns.
“I have adapted the weaponry training from Hapkido and Eskrima to
implement it into the Sightless Self-Defense Program. My goal is to offer the
participants various tools that they can learn and adapt to their own
lifestyle."
After the successful completion of this pilot project, we moved on to
learning a combination of Hapkido and Taekwondo, a striking system that
uses kicking and punching.
This awesome learning opportunity has strengthened our Chapter, given
members a focus on physical fitness, and increased self-confidence and
pride. Most of all, we are having fun.
We will continue to build our skill level and as Master Sirota says, "our
Sightless Self-Defense students will be practicing the same material as any
other student; for example, patterns, board breaking, testing for stripes and
higher rank."
He hopes one day to see all of us with black belts.
Our class is committed to assisting in the promotion of Self-Defense and
Martial Arts for those with special needs, especially blind and visionimpaired individuals. This is a very unique program in Canada, and we as a
Chapter are very honoured to participate in demonstrations to groups
throughout the communities in the Greater Vancouver Area. These demos
promote increased self-confidence and provide education and new
possibilities for others.
Says Master Sirota, "The Sightless Self-Defense program promotes my
belief in the inclusion of martial arts training for all people. I am committed
to pioneering domestic and international martial arts and self-defense
projects."
HOME SAFETY TIPS FOR PERSONS WHO ARE BLIND OR
PARTIALLY SIGHTED
By: Sara Bennett
Lighting is the most effective tool in deterring crime. Not only does it allow
you to see, but it also tells would-be intruders that you are home and
everything is “business as usual”. Even if you are totally blind, it is
advisable to intermittently turn lights on and off, not to mention opening and
closing blinds and curtains mornings and evenings.
If you live alone, consider having just your first initial and surname listed in
the telephone book. Have a male record the greeting on your answering
machine or try using “we” instead of “I” in the message.
Keep a list of emergency numbers in a format you can access near the phone
and place a phone by the bed in case of overnight emergencies.
Keep doors and windows locked. Before answering the door, yell out as if to
someone in the house to indicate that you are not alone. Call out through the
door to ask who is there and do not open the door if there is no reply.
If the caller indicates that they are a service, law enforcement or delivery
person, ask for identification; if you cannot read it, ask for the telephone
number of the employer and call to verify their employment and the reason
for the visit.
You may wish to have a security system. Ask family and friends if they can
recommend one that has accessibility features like raised keypads.
You may prefer to get a dog that barks loudly, post a “beware of dog” sign
or place a large bowl of water in full view near the front door with a fear-
inspiring name on it like “Brutus” or “Killer” (even if you don’t own a
dog!).
But you yourself may be your best security system.
By training yourself to be increasingly aware of your other senses, you may
be able to detect unusual footsteps, smell unfamiliar perfume or cigarette
smoke, or notice that a door is not the way you know you left it. Being
especially sensitive to your surroundings can be particularly helpful when
entering or leaving your home.
Set verbal boundaries with callers. If someone asks you strange or rather
personal questions, like how much you can see, if you’re married/live alone
or details about your finances, consider the situation, who is asking and your
surroundings.
You do not have to answer questions you are uncomfortable with if you feel
the situation is inappropriate. In a strong and assertive voice, you can refuse
to answer.
Pay attention to your physiological reaction and heed your instincts. Your
increased heartbeat, shortness of breath or sweaty palms may be tipping you
off to danger. If your gut tells you that something or someone is not quite
right, respond accordingly. Don’t worry about offending anyone or looking
foolish; it’s better to be safe than sorry.
The tips outlined here are by no means exhaustive. Use and modify these
and other measures to fit your individual needs. Having a vision impairment
doesn’t mean that you are automatically more vulnerable to home-related
crime. By using common sense, general safety tips and some alternative
blindness skills, you can feel as safe and secure in your home as your sighted
neighbours.
LUFKIN RESIDENTS TEACH VISUALLY IMPAIRED HOW TO BE
HANDY AROUND THE HOUSE
By: Stacy Faison
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Lufkin Daily
News, October 27, 2002.
It's truly a case of the blind leading the blind.
Lufkinite Phil Parr, who is totally blind, teaches other blind folks how to fix
things around the house as a part of his weekly internet radio show, "The
Blind Handyman," recorded in Lufkin and broadcast around the globe.
With the help of fellow Lufkinites Don Shaw and Don Patterson, who also
are visually impaired, and Tom Houston--"our token sighted guy," as Parr
jokingly refers to him--the foursome tape their one-hour radio show from
Parr's home recording studio once a week. The show airs Mondays and
Tuesdays on the American Council of the Blind's radio website:
www.acbradio.org
With listeners from 70 countries around the world tuning in, Parr and his
friends talk about how to build and repair "from a blindness perspective," as
Parr puts it. "Mainly, how to keep from cutting our fingers off!" he
emphasized.
Parr said they also have a guest on each show--"someone who's done
woodwork or a special project"--to talk about such issues as how they
measure and what tools they use.
ACB Radio features four separate channels: Radio Mainstream, which airs
"The Blind Handyman," in addition to shows like Cooking without
Looking"; Radio Cafe, which showcases blind musicians; Radio Treasure
Trove, for classic drama and comedy; and Radio Interactive, with blind
cyber-radio personalities playing requests.
Prior to a recent taping, Houston gathered some last minute emails from the
show's listeners to address on-air while the show's hosts assembled in Parr's
kitchen to shoot the breeze, providing a fascinating glimpse into the world of
the visually impaired.
When Patterson asked, "What time is it?" Shaw pushed a button on his
watch and it intoned the time. When Parr's phone rang, a talking Caller ID
let him know who was placing the call. And Parr's JAWS (Job Access with
Speech) screen reader enables him to navigate his computer and surf the
web.
"We get together every week anyway," Parr said of the group. "And we
actually stand a chance of disseminating some useful information. Who
knows? Once we start, we just do it. And if we have a problem, we just go
on."
A few minutes before taping for the show was scheduled to begin, the group
trekked through the back yard to Parr's studio across a wooden walkway he
constructed with help from Shaw. "It looks like a couple of blind guys built
it!" Patterson yelled. "It's a little crooked," Parr admitted, "but what the hell.
It's a good blind handyman's project."
The comfortable studio is outfitted with a couch, a player piano, a coffee/wet
bar and a few guitars, in addition to a state-of-the-art mixing board and four
microphones for the show's hosts, whom Houston introduced before heading
to the mailbag.
One listener had written in to thank the show for sharing their tips and tricks
before detailing the enormous project he had recently undertaken-renovating a condominium. Another email was sent by a listener who had
purchased a storage building and wondered "if a blind person could put a
window in it."
Shaw had pre-recorded the interview with their guest, Steven Stewart, who
builds birdhouses out of cedar picket--"a pretty blind-friendly project," Parr
said.
He added that previous guests have discussed such projects as unstopping
drains and replacing the innards in a toilet tank.
Following the interview, Parr instructed listeners on how to install storm
doors and Patterson closed the show with a few fall fireplace maintenance
tips. Before signing off, Parr offered this parting shot to his listeners: "'I see,'
said the blind man, as he picked up his hammer and saw."
"The Blind Handyman" airs at 9 p.m. Monday, then replays every other hour
through Tuesday, at: www.acbradio.org The shows also are archived in the
website's "on demand" section.
sfaison@coxnews.com
ADAPTIVE GARDENING TECHNIQUES FOR THE VISUALLY
IMPAIRED
By: S. Foster, C. Duvall and J. Powell
Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, June 1992
Editor's Note: This item is used with permission of Oregon State University
Extension Service, Publication EM 8498-E, available only online.
Most people with visual impairments are not totally blind, but they do have
various kinds of mild to severe visual problems. According to the National
Eye Institute, only 10% of the 14 million visually impaired people in the
United States are completely blind. Because a portion of the gardening
public in Oregon has some visual impairment, this publication provides
several adaptive methods and suggestions to make gardening simpler for
these gardeners.
Design
Avoid curved pathways because they make orientation difficult. Path
segments should be straight, with changes in direction marked by a shrub or
with a change in the texture of the path material. Steps should be
accompanied by a rail that begins several feet ahead of the steps.
Make flower borders and planted beds no more than three feet across so the
gardener can reach the plants while kneeling and working with shorthandled tools. Island beds, with access from two sides, can be wider, as long
as the gardener can easily reach the centre of the bed from either side.
Arrange plants in beds in groups of three to five, in straight rows, to make
specific plant types easier to locate.
Group colours with the help of sighted friends or from memory. Variety in
texture and shape of foliage give added satisfaction in terms of touch.
Distribute scent in the garden to various locations and at different times of
the year. Individual fragrances can help the gardener locate particular areas.
Use sound makers, such as wind chimes, flutter mills, and moving water,
which can help the gardener locate special parts of the garden.
Seedlings
Seed sown in individual containers or spaced individually in a tray make
thinning, which is difficult without vision, unnecessary. Try these tips:
A board with holes drilled in it helps space seeds in a tray. For example, a
plastic board with five rows of eight holes works well when planting larger
seedling trays or flats. Holes 1-inch in diameter allow room for the gardener
to cover each seed with a thin layer of soil.
To sow tiny seeds, have small 3/4-inch pieces of toilet tissue ready. Spread a
few seeds on a plate. Pick up one or two seeds on a damp finger, then rub the
seeds onto a piece of tissue and wad it up. Drop the tissue through one of the
holes in the board. The tissue will disintegrate quickly when covered with
soil.
To form straight rows in the vegetable garden, stretch a cord between two
pegs and use it as a guide when sowing seeds. The cords help mark the rows
until seedlings grow. Rows of vegetables can be identified with braille labels
or wooden vegetable shapes on pegs.
When potting plants, there is an easy way to centre the plant in a mediumsized pot. Put a layer of potting soil into the new pot, then centre a smaller
pot on top of the soil. Fill the sides of the larger pot with soil, pressing the
soil down a bit. Remove the small pot from the centre, put the plant into the
resulting hole, and add enough soil to hold the plant in place.
Tools
Long-handled tools, such as rakes, forks and spades, are best for preparing
the garden. Tools with short handles (8 to 30 inches) are better for
cultivating because they allow the gardener to touch and cultivate at the
same time.
Use "one-handed" shears for pruning. They leave one hand free to feel the
plant.
Paint tool handles a light colour to contrast with the soil. Colour contrast can
also be used for containers, pathways, fences, gate latches, table edges in the
greenhouse, steps and other things the gardener might have trouble finding
or noticing.
Keep tools in a bucket or gardener's apron. Place weeds and garden debris in
a bucket.
Knee pads are helpful, since much of the work will be done while kneeling.
A wheelbarrow with two wheels, a resting leg and one handle is ideal for
visually impaired gardeners. It can be pushed with one hand and is more
stable than a regular single-wheeled barrow. A portable radio attached to the
wheel-barrow makes it easier to locate.
The gardener's problems range from difficulty in reading a pesticide label to
finding the lawnmower. Gas-driven and large electric mowers are unsafe for
visually impaired gardeners. A hand mower is best; a quiet, battery-powered
mower is next best. Blades should be well guarded, adjustments easy to
make, and the power should stop automatically when the operator releases
the handle.
Make a guideline from a cord stretched between two stakes, one at each end
of the lawn strip to be mowed. The stakes can be moved to mark each new
strip. Pegs, garden forks, a long strip of wood on the ground and a sound
beacon are among other types of marking that can be used.
Maintenance
Correct growing conditions help keep plants healthy. If detected early, pests
and diseases can be controlled with such mechanical means as barriers,
traps, spraying with a jet of water or removing damaged parts of plants.
If the gardener has no sight, it is difficult to detect pests and diseases in their
early stages. Assistance from a sighted friend is helpful.
Other, non-chemical, pest control measures include encouraging beneficial
insects, using soaps, spray oils, or botanical insecticides, and accepting a
certain amount of damage. It's best to leave mixing and applying pesticides
to a sighted friend.
Use syringes with raised markings to measure liquid fertilizers and similar
products. Some liquid products are measured out in the container cap, which
is difficult to do without spilling.
Shape, texture and sometimes smell distinguish weeds from desirable plants.
Use short-handled tools instead of chemical herbicides to remove weeds.
Use landmarks to divide an area. Then weed one section at a time.
To prune thorny plants, wear gloves with a hole cut for the pad of the index
finger. This allows the gardener to use that finger to find thorns and avoid
scratching the rest of the hand. Large trees and shrubs are the most difficult
to prune.
Others shouldn't work in a visually impaired person's garden. That way the
gardener can maintain a consistent mental image of the garden's condition
and needs.
MOWING THE LAWN
By: Thomas Bickford
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Braille Monitor,
June 2000: http://www.nfb.org/bm/
When I was ten years old, I didn't care who mowed the lawn as long as it
was someone else. My parents had a different idea about it, so I pushed the
lawn mower around and cut the grass. Yes, that was in the days of the boypowered lawn mower, and I felt very much "put upon." After all, I had two
older sisters living at home, but that was before the days of women's
liberation.
When I was thirteen, we lived in a different house with a bigger lawn, and,
even though I got paid, I discovered too late that I had underestimated the
price I should have asked. Result: bad feelings. Blindness came along in my
late teens.
Now that I am the home owner and feel some pride in home ownership and
the appearance of the yard, things are different. For too many years I didn't
think I could really do the job because I was blind. Then I went to my NFB
state convention and heard Fred Schroeder tell about his experiences
mowing his lawn as a blind man. It was a good story; he told it well; and I
knew I had run out of excuses. At this writing several years later, Fred
Schroeder is the Federal Commissioner of the Rehabilitation Services
Administration.
Yes, some people, blind or sighted, cut their own grass, and some people,
blind or sighted, get someone else to cut their grass, but I decided that my
time had come.
The principle of mowing the lawn is quite simple: cut a swath. Move over,
and cut another swath. Keep doing that until the job is done. With some
practice you can learn how far to move without either cutting the same space
again or leaving some grass uncut. Anytime I am in doubt, I hold the mower
with one hand to keep the engine running and lean over to feel the area I
think I have just cut. If there is tall grass that I missed, the only thing to do is
to move back and make another pass at it, feel again for assurance, and then
go on.
The most efficient approach would be to cut long, straight strips which waste
less time in turning around. My trouble is that I don't walk straight for more
than six or eight steps while pushing a mower over slightly uneven ground.
The grass between the sidewalk and curb is just right, ten feet wide and
level. That is the easy part. The hard part is all the rest of it, about five
thousand square feet. That is a moderate amount by suburban standards.
The thing that makes the rest of the lawn hard is this: Even though the lot,
the house, and all the areas covered by concrete are rectangular, there is a
moderate hill along one side, and the house is set at an angle on the lot. In
spite of all the straight lines, the lawn area has a very irregular shape. As you
might expect, there are trees, flower gardens, and other things to bump into
or avoid. I deliberately bump into trees and cut past them from all directions;
then I put one hand on the tree and walk backward around it while pulling
the mower as close to the tree as possible.
There is a plastic strip marking the edge of the flower gardens which serves
two purposes. It helps to keep the grass from invading the garden area, and I
find that I can slide one foot along the strip as I walk backward while pulling
the mower. With the first pass up against the plastic strip and the next pass a
little farther out as I hold the mower by the corner of the handle, I have
enough space to stand while I cut straight away from the garden. In case you
wonder about my walking backward, I find that I am leading the mower
when I go backward and can direct it better that way.
Since I have a corner lot at the intersection of two streets, I have plenty of
straight edge along the sidewalk to use as a straight starting edge. I can tell
by feel if the two front wheels of the mower are going onto the grass at the
same time. Then, as my feet come to the edge of the grass, I check again to
make sure I am facing straight in. I walk in six or eight steps and back out as
straight as I can. Sometimes I do move over a bit and try to cut some new
grass on the way back, but I know I may be missing something, so I lean
over and check the cut. Fortunately for me I can reach all the areas of the
lawn by going in six or eight steps from each of the borders. The hill is the
worst part, so I get plenty of exercise by going straight up and holding the
mower as I back down.
How do I know where I am? I first learned the shape of the yard while
raking leaves in the fall. Raking covers the same area as mowing. I can hear
the rustle of the leaves and feel the pull of the leaves against the rake, but it
is not quite as critical in spacing as mowing is. With the lawn mower the
grass must be very high for me to hear the swish of the grass as it is cut, but
listening over the roar of the mower engine is one of the least efficient ways
to know what I am cutting.
One of the things I learned about moving over at the inner end of a cut is
that, when I turn to move, I usually leave a small area right at the corner
between the two cuts, so I angle back, go forward to be sure that the cut is
square at the top, and then back out.
When I am finished, or think I am, I usually walk along the more critical
areas while leaning over to feel for spots I may have missed. I also usually
have a sighted critic, my wife, check for spots I have missed. If I really did
miss some small area and I didn't know about it, the worst thing that could
happen is that it would keep growing until the next time. I think I would be
unlikely to miss the same spot twice in a row.
I am sure by now you have decided that some of my techniques would not
work well for you, and you may even have thought of some others of your
own that would work on your lawn. Happy lawn mowing.
BLIND COUPLE LIVING IN A SIGHTED WORLD
By: Wasif Bhatti and Sue Neveu-Bhatti
Editor’s Note: Wasif Bhatti and Sue Neveu-Bhatti live in Windsor, Ontario.
We are a couple with low vision, who have two daughters--Mikayla who is
nine and Jessica who is 13 months old--both of whom have sight.
Sometimes the family life can be a challenge.
Wasif works as a lunchtime supervisor for grades six to eight at a local
school, where the monitors work in pairs so if one misses something, then
the other might see what the youth are doing. He has also been volunteering
as a Cub leader with Scouts Canada for six years.
Sue is an office volunteer for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind,
but right now she coordinates the other volunteers from home while she is
on extended leave with Jessica. Sue had a guide dog for seven years until
Mikayla was born and she found it difficult to push a stroller and work the
dog at the same time. Now, she uses a cane when going out.
Sue does a large part of taking care of Jessica, as Wasif sometimes has
difficulty. She feeds, bathes, dresses and changes her, while Wasif feeds the
baby, gives her bottles, and plays with her. Mikayla is also a big help with
her sister, sometimes helping Wasif to change Jessica.
Mikayla is in grade four. When she gets homework, we help her as most
parents help their children. Sue has a closed circuit television (CCTV),
which she uses to read Mikayla’s homework.
But she also uses it for other things like reading books to the girls, reading
mail, medicine bottles and recipes.
When using the stove, we have raised dots on the control panel at certain
temperatures so we know where to put the dial. We also have raised dots on
certain buttons for the microwave and the washer and dryer.
We usually shop for our own groceries, with Wasif picking up the odd item
during the week on his way home from work. Sometimes Sue’s mom will
help.
We do miss some things when cleaning. Recently, we bought a vacuum that
works both on the floor and carpet, and we use it to sweep the floor and also
to clean up when Jessica throws her food.
As vision-impaired parents, some of our fears are the kids choking, falling
on the stairs, and getting away from us in stores.
When our first child was little and at walking age, Sue got a waist harness
and used it in stores, out on the street, and in large open areas where traffic
was a constant worry. She got some major reactions from the sighted world,
saying that she was cruel to her child to keep her on a leash like a dog.
But the harness was for Mikayla's own safety.
We keep a close eye on Jess now that she is walking. She has learned that
her world is getting bigger, and she wants to explore it. She is getting into
everything, and we are always picking up after her.
But that is what parents do for their kids at this age.
We have not heard many bad remarks from the public, but some other
vision-impaired people we know who are likewise raising children have also
had sighted people
make negative comments.
They say that blind couples should not be raising any children. Our question
to these sighted people is: “If a blind person said the same thing to you, how
would you react?”
We are the same as any married couple. We just do some things a little
differently.
LET YOUR CHILD PLAY WITH THE POTS AND PANS!
By: Jacki Harth
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from Future Reflections, Special Issue
2004, Vol. 23, No. 2, the Early Years: http://www.nfb.org/fr/
Bringing the world to my two-year-old son (who happens to be blind) seems
like an overwhelming job and I used to feel very guilty for not sitting down
and working with him the way his teachers did at school. Then Tyler showed
me how he could practice these skills at home with "house stuff."
Here is an example. I had read in many general articles about children (and
remembered that this was true with my other children) how children love
pots and pans. Little did I know what a gold mine of education we had in
one little cupboard.
Orientation and Mobility/Finding the Cupboard: Since Tyler enjoyed
making "music" with the pots and pans, it was a built-in reinforcer for him to
find the cupboard, cruise past the stove, etc. He cruised back and forth for
many weeks on that side of the kitchen finding landmarks and feeling very
proud of himself.
Sound Localization: It didn't take him long before he was throwing a pan
across the floor and crawling or scooting after it.
Object Permanence: Now this made sense! Open the door and they are
always there.
Fine Motor Skills: Learning how to open the door was a task that took time
and concentration. We also talked about the front of the door, the back and
inside of the cupboard, etc. It was a great opportunity to talk about these
concepts. The fine motor skills were tested whenever he tried to pick up an
upside-down cake pan (try it once).
Gross Motor Skills: Cruising to cupboard then walking across the kitchen
freestyle (very scary for mom). He also walks around with a pan or two and
practices sitting on the bigger ones (or in them).
Discrimination: There are always big pans, little pans, heavy pans, LOUD
noises, soft noises, and so forth.
Self-Help Skills: Throw in some spoons and cups for an added surprise.
Here again, more concept building, such as big and little, etc.
Language and Communication: With practice you will start describing your
child's actions while he is on the go. "Open the door." "That's a heavy pan!"
"Go get the pan." "Sit down," and "Stand up."
If you don't want your good pans thrown across the floor, go to an auction or
second-hand store and buy a boxful of metal ware. And if you think the
noise will drive you nuts, you'll get used to it. The satisfaction and education
your child is getting is well worth it. And just think of all the education he is
receiving while you're washing dishes.
Other suggestions (Our O&M specialist gave me these suggestions.)
When your child is learning where the stairs are, put the safety gate on the
second or third step-up or -down. This will give him the independence to
investigate without falling all the way down.
Have a special activity that your child likes in each room of the house to
encourage room-to-room travel. For example, an organ or keyboard in one
room--you can turn on the demonstration tune to give him a continuous
sound cue to find.
An old coffee pot full of cookie cutters and wooden spoons encourages
movement to a hard-to-reach spot like around the table. A drawer full of
brushes and combs in the bathroom is a favourite spot, and a sit-and-spin toy
provides an excellent sound cue for fun.
Tyler finds these favourite spots easily now by himself, but it took many
months of showing him how to get there, and lots of practice to get to this
point. As he gets older, he will get bored with these and challenge us to
show him new things.
Going to new and noisy places is always a challenge for all of us. All that I
can say is talk, talk, talk about the sounds and LET HIM LISTEN.
I always want the public to see what a normal active child he is, but I've
learned that a good long while in mom's arms listening will put the sounds
and feelings in perspective for him, and then--when he is ready--he will get
down and investigate.
When introducing a new experience (like swimming in a small pool), you
may have to work up to the complete "normal" experience. We did this by
letting Tyler sit in a separate pool, first on a chair with just his feet in the
water, and bit by bit, working up to swimming by himself. It was only about
a week before he was swimming in the pool with the others and having a
great time.
THE RIGHT WAY TO PLAY
By: Debbie Siegel, Hadley Instructor
Editor’s Note: This article is reprinted from The Hadley Connection, the
student newsletter of the Hadley School for the Blind, Fall 2003.
What is the best toy for your visually impaired child? Which one will he or
she enjoy the most? There are many factors to consider when making that
decision. Consider the following questions before making your purchase:
* Is the toy appropriate for your child developmentally?
* Is the toy safe, durable and without small, loose parts?
* Can the toy be used as the child gets older?
* Is the toy visually appealing to the child with low vision?
* Does the toy have a pleasing scent?
* Will your child be able to operate the toy?
* Does the toy have tactile appeal?
* Is the toy versatile?
* Will your child interact with the toy?
* Does the toy have a cause-and-effect quality, such as a puzzle?
* Does the toy make noise, and can the volume be adjusted?
* Is the toy washable?
* Is the toy child-size?
* Is the toy fun to use?
Once the boxes have been opened, take time to explore each new toy.
Visually impaired children may be reluctant to try new experiences, so take
things slowly. Enthusiastically play with the new toy yourself as you
describe what it looks like and how it works. Encourage hand-over-hand
placement as you help your child manipulate the toy. Introduce just one or
two toys at each play session, so as not to overwhelm your child.
Schedule a specific time for play. Remember the importance of setting aside
time for play in your child's daily schedule. Planning a specific time for
play, such as first thing in the morning or after naps, works well for some
families. Keep in mind when your child is at his best and most alert.
Children thrive on routine; thus, have the same beginning and end to each
play session. Include others, such as siblings, peers and other family
members, in your play. Play only as long as your child is interested; learn to
read his cues as to when he no longer wants to play.
Other families find the best way to play is to build play experiences into
their daily routines. Sing songs and play games while in the car. Bring along
toys, games and books as you wait for a doctor's appointment. Keep a low
kitchen cabinet filled with plastic pots and wooden spoons, so your child can
play in the kitchen as you prepare meals. Make bath-time fun by singing
songs and playing with water toys. If you take advantage of the moment, you
will find countless opportunities throughout each day for play and fun.
Try to find the best place for play in your home. Some find the family room,
child's bedroom or even the kitchen work well. Make sure the space is large
enough for your child to move about freely and for you and your child to sit
comfortably. Find a place where toys can be kept organized, such as on
shelves or in baskets. Try to limit distractions such as the telephone or
television. Make sure the area is safe. Choose lighting that is appropriate to
your child's needs. Locate the area where your child can be near to you. The
older child plays more independently, but often wants to be within calling
distance of Mom and Dad.
Play will help your child grow and develop. Through play, your child will
learn about his environment; he will feel loved and cherished. He will
develop fine and gross motor skills, motivation, curiosity and self-esteem.
Learning through play is the foundation for future learning. Thus, make time
for play and enjoy your child.
This sidebar features a list of toy companies and catalogues for children with
special needs.
Abilitations (800-850-8603); www.abilitations.com
Crestwood Communications Aids, Inc. (414-352-5678);
www.communicationaids.com
The Dragonfly Toy Co., Inc. (800-308-2208); www.dragonflytoys.com
Enabling Devices, a division of Toys for Special Children, Inc. (800-8328697); www.enablingdevices.com
Environments Inc. (800-342-4453); www.eichild.com
Exceptional Teaching Aids, Inc. (800-549-6999);
www.exceptionalteaching.com
Guide to Toys for Children who are Blind or Visually Impaired (212-6751141); www.toy-tia.org
Music for Little People (800-346-4445); www.mflp.com
Hitech (for the hearing impaired) (800-288-8303); www.smar-t-pants.com
(no link)
TFH (USA) LTD. (800-467-6222); www.tfhusa.com
Toys "R" Us Guide for Differently Abled Kids (800-869-7787); --- connects
to general store information
STAYING IN STYLE
By: Dana Nichols
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted with permission from Dialogue
Magazine, Winter 2003.
There is an old saying that everything will come back into style eventually.
Miniskirts, popular in the 1960s, came back into style in the '90s. Shoulder
pads, so fashionable in the '40s, became stylish again in the '80s.
Men have less trouble than women do with style, but there are small details,
like cuffs on trousers, that can make a man's clothes look dated.
So how can you be sure you are in style? One way is to listen to others. I
overheard a woman at church telling another about a new suit she had
bought, and said, "It has a short jacket like they're wearing nowadays." Sure
enough, the jackets were all about three inches shorter than the ones in my
closet.
Another time, I overheard a male acquaintance say, "Those capri pants all
the women wear now sure are ugly." Inquiry elicited the description of tight
pants ending two inches above the ankle.
Another source of information for me is the woman who does my
alterations. I showed her the desired length of the pant legs I wanted
hemmed, and she said, "But that's not the style now." I also overheard
another customer asking to have her shoulder pads removed. "No more
football player look," she said. That confirmed that shoulder pads were out
of style.
Television is another source of fashion information--not sit-coms, but talk
shows. I leave the "Today Show" on as I dress for work in the morning.
Often it has a segment on fashion. A narrator describes what the models are
wearing. "This skirt is right at the knee, which is the best length for
everyone. The sweater dress is a nice informal look for all; with a blazer, it
can be worn to work."
An unlikely but rather reliable source of fashion information is, believe it or
not, current mystery and romance novels. The ones published in the last year
to two can give you good information, such as a character's scornful
reference to "the floppy bow tie and sheer stocking type." So that must mean
blouses with bows at the neck were out and women were wearing coloured
stockings.
You can also check what is being displayed in stores. You have to be careful
here, since stores also stock clothes for women who don't like the modern
look. A personal shopper, employed by many stores to choose outfits for
your approval, can be an excellent source of current information. You are
not obligated to buy what they show you, but it's a good way to find out
what new fashions make your favourite clothes obsolete.
Men can take advantage of such shoppers, too. Shoppers can coordinate
shirt, tie and sweater, or just update a look with a new four-inch wide tie or a
Tabasco tie—a colourful tie with little tabasco bottles on it. Looking at the
Tommy Hilfiger section is always a good idea. This brand is the latest
fashion for men--and there is a Hilfiger line of clothes for women, too.
It's not unmanly to ask a woman for fashion advice. Most men let their
wives choose their clothes, matching socks to trousers and belts to shoes. An
unmarried man can ask a female friend for advice. My boyfriend, George,
who is sighted, relies on the advice of a co-worker whose taste he admires.
She gave him a list of colours that look good together, and he relies on it
when selecting his clothes in the morning.
I have an advantage that many women don't have. My three sisters live in
the same town I do. They sometimes take me shopping, but it's just as
informative listening to them talk or asking them about fashions. Now and
then I get one of them to go through my closet with me and cull out the
garments that are hopelessly out of date. They often give hints on
modernizing a favourite that I don't want to give to Goodwill. "This would
be ok with a chain belt," or "these pants would be ok with a long sweater."
But the verdict is sometimes a simple "no way."
These are just a few of the ways I use to stay fashionable without hiring
someone to read Vogue. I still make mistakes, but I've learned one thing
from my sisters; you don't have to follow every fashion slavishly. If those
capri's make your ankles feel naked, don't wear them.
Also, you can update your look by changing only a little of what you wear.
For instance, a year or so ago, the Donna Karan look demanded that shoes
and stockings be the same colour as the skirt. Who can afford to buy shoes
to match every skirt she owns? But you could get just one outfit in the
Donna Karan look, or just buy black stockings to go with the black shoes
and skirt you already have. When jackets change dramatically, don't hem
yours that short. Just buy a short jacket that will be wearable with what you
have. It will give you an up-to-date look without destroying your budget.
Blind people can't be expected to intuitively know what's fashionable. You
can stay stylish by listening to others and being aware of clues from other
sources. Staying in style takes vigilance, but it can be done.
Dialogue is a publication of Blindskills, Inc., PO Box 5181, Salem, OR
97304-0181; Phone: 800-860-4224; Email: blindskl@teleport.com and
Website: http://www.blindskills.com
STUDENT'S SCANNING DEVICE FOR BLIND
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from BBC News, UK,
September 14, 2003: http://news.bbc.co.uk
A university student has invented a "retail-scanning device" that tells blind
shoppers the price, style, colour and size of clothes.
Jordan Hill, 22, won the AOL Broadband Innovation Award for her
invention Topscan, which she designed and built during her final year as a
design student at Brunel University.
Topscan is a small handheld device that describes an item of clothing
through a headphone when the garment is scanned.
It also checks to see if a customer's required size is in stock.
The device uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), which does not
require line of sight to gather the data from the smart label.
“Kickstart” career
Instead, the information is supplied through a proximity reading, which is
able to scan through fabrics.
Ms. Hill, from Coventry, received 1,000 pounds with the award, which she
said will "help kickstart the development of Topscan into a fully-fledged
product".
She added: "I couldn't have hoped for a better start to my career.
"Now that the time has come to turn the idea into a viable product, the award
money means that Topscan is one step closer to the shops.
"My ambition is for them to be a regular feature at clothes stores across the
country in a few years' time."
WHATEVER WORKS!
Editor’s Note: Anyone who is blind must learn alternative ways of doing
things and each person employs a variety of methods; even family members
and friends learn to adapt. While the learning curve may be steep, these
techniques often become second nature after a period of time and those in
question have difficulty articulating the particular adjustments they have
made. What follows are three people’s accounts of some of the adjustments
they have made—one is blind, one has low vision, and yet another is a
sighted family member.
TRADE OFFS AND IDENTITY CRISES
By: Sara Bennett
When I first became blind, I memorized just about everything—the number
of stairs in the house, which box contained which toy, television channel
line-ups, the alphabetical order of long-playing records and 45’s, etc. I
thought it a challenge and it kept my mind active and alert.
But, alas, memory is not infallible and I was forced to devise other methods.
Shape, sound, size, texture, position and location became my new means for
identifying things, as well as labelling.
The tube of toothpaste goes next to the toothbrush and nowhere near the
tubes of muscle rub or moisturizer, both of which go in separate drawers
with bandages and soap respectively. Shampoo and conditioner are always
in the shower, an elastic band around the conditioner.
When I can’t differentiate between one clothing item and another by texture,
size, shape or adornments (like buttons, zippers, etc.), I either group them
with other items of similar colour, function, season, etc. If there’s any doubt,
one item gets a label of some kind, typically a safety pin on the inside tag.
When it comes to laundry, I have two clothes hampers—one for whites and
the other for colours.
These organizational methods make it much, much easier to find and return
desired items. The drawback is that I have to be super disciplined and
remember to put items back “where they belong”. No room for messiness
here!
Similarly, I identify food items by the shape and size of their containers, or
by the sound they make when shaken. Stews and pastas are usually in
shorter, fatter cans than vegetables or fruit, and tuna fish and other sandwich
fillings are usually in very, very short tins. Boxed pastas and cereals can
often be identified by container size or by shaking them.
When it comes to drinks, my favourites are always at the far right in the
fridge or pantry, with less-liked brands and flavours at the left. To
distinguish my soy milk from the two kinds other family members drink, an
elastic band goes around the carton.
But what I gain in ease and speed in these methods, I tend to lose if just one
family member (or myself, for that matter) forgets just once to put and keep
my favourites in the agreed upon place or slip on the identifying elastic
band.
For personal items that can neither be identified by touch or location, I use
braille labels; that is, I use braille labels when I remember to actually write
them up and stick them on.
Right now, probably about a third of my CD’s and videos are without labels
and I’m using a very inefficient memory to distinguish between them and
pull one out of their alphabetized order. When things get really bad, I just
throw them into the player and listen, but even that is fruitless when you
don’t recognize something you purchased umpteen years ago!
But perhaps the biggest trade off comes with sighted assistance.
I have lived alone, with blind and with sighted people, and I have discovered
that what you might lose in terms of independence and self-determination
when living with sighted people, you sometimes gain in those little, always
present opportunities to ask for sighted feedback.
Very little can compare with the ability to ask someone if it’s sunny out or if
there’s still snow on the ground; if my hair is sticking up or if my make-up is
smudged; if a piece of clothing is stained, or if it’s blue or black because I
forgot to put whatever it is back in the appropriate place; if clothes I’m
trying on in a store suit me in terms of colour, size, style, etc.; if the blue
chair I want to buy matches the blue sofa I’ve already got at home ...
And then there are the cats. What you gain in company, affection and play,
you give back in hairballs and furniture (and hand) scratches.
How do I identify them, having more than one? Naturally, by shape, size,
texture and location.
Pudding is short and squat, bordering on heavy, woolly, and typically can be
found on someone’s bed. Boots is long and sleek, relatively light, silky and
usually can be found somewhere she’s not supposed to be.
And if any of these methods fails to help me identify which cat I just sat or
stood on, I simply either pet them and pet them and pet them ... or pick them
up and refuse to let go ... until whichever cat it is verbalizes her displeasure
(they always do).
Then I can use sound to make the identification!
Pudding always growls, and Boots always hisses—an infallible method at
last!
WHAT FRESH HELL IS THIS?
By: Judy Smith
I walked into the glass door of my stereo unit last night, ripping it right off
its hinges.
Even though it’s the kind of thing that’s happened to me a lot in the 14 years
since I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), it still infuriates me.
A few friends were over playing Scrabble and one of them put some music
on and then wandered back to the table. I got up and strode right into the
open door.
It was all I could do to keep myself from picking up the door and smashing
him on the head with it.
It’s hard for me to realize that, because I look “normal”, my friends still
forget that my peripheral and night vision is limited and so they continue to
leave things open or lying on the floor for me to trip over.
I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised. I did it to myself for many years before
I’d remember to shut cupboards and drawers as soon as I’d finished and not
to leave the vacuum in the middle of the floor. It wasn’t as though I didn’t
feel a fair bit of rage at this self-inflicted pain as well.
The anger, of course, is simply for the fact of my having RP in the first
place. I wasted plenty of time wondering what I was being punished for that
this cruel fate had befallen me.
After all, I’d had to leave a very high paying job and live in reduced
circumstances, as well as suffer a generalized lack of confidence. Where
before I strode around and kept my head up, all of a sudden I had to walk
tentatively and look down often to see where I was going.
Over time, and with peer support and therapy, I had become adjusted to the
changes in my life and didn’t wake up every morning with the sense of
dread that had so much characterized my first few years. It’s only when my
vision deteriorates that I have to go through the upheaval again.
And it has. In the past year or so, while I still have good central vision, my
peripheral vision has lessened.
So I find I must try to keep the stressors in my life to a minimum. I eat well,
I get enough sleep, I don’t drink or smoke, I talk to close friends; these are
the things I must do to maintain my emotional equilibrium. No longer do I
have the luxury of letting any of the threads that hold my life together
unravel.
I know I’ll accept the latest changes too.
It would be nice to just jump over the fear and onto acceptance, but
unfortunately no one gets a free ride. Meanwhile I’ll just carry Tylenol pills
and Band-Aids with me for the inevitable bumps, scrapes and bruises and
perhaps enroll in anger management classes.
Oh, and the cane I use at night is a lead pipe painted white.
COPING WHEN SOMEONE BECOMES BLIND
By: Ross Robertson
It was a great shock when my wife suddenly became blind, and it took me
some time to adjust.
Previously, we had shared life’s daily responsibilities such as shopping,
driving, financial matters and many household tasks. Now, I assist Carole
with her makeup, clothes selection, sewing and paperwork.
Recreational activities that we once enjoyed together such as playing chess,
cards, and bridge with friends are no longer possible. We can no longer
share the driving on holidays either, and our sightseeing is not shared in the
same way.
I have less energy and little chance to read my own books, watch TV or
work on projects around the house. I feel guilty if I choose to watch movies
with subtitles or fast action that are difficult for Carole to follow.
But I would rather read bestseller novels to my wife anyways or assist her in
all her volunteer work. Although our lives have changed, I am pleased to be
of some help.
Carole appears to be coping very effectively with her greatly reduced vision
and I sometimes overestimate what she really can see. I keep reminding
myself that I need to be conscious of her needs and limitations.
I draw on Carole’s positive attitude and enjoy sharing additional activities
with her.
SUPERMARKET WEBSITES FAIL BASIC CHECKS
Editor’s Note: This article is reprinted from E-Access Bulletin, Issue 55,
July 2004.
Only one of the UK's top five supermarkets has a website that meets even
the most basic accessibility needs of disabled consumers, a survey by the
charity AbilityNet (http://www.abilitynet.org) has found.
“State of the e-nation: online supermarkets” is an audit of websites operated
by Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Somerfield and Tesco. Each site was tested
for usability and accessibility using Watchfire's “Bobby” software
(http://bobby.watchfire.com) and a range of manual checks. The sites were
then ranked on a five-star scale, where one star signifies "very inaccessible"
and five stars mean "very accessible."
The highest score of four stars went to Tesco's “alternative” site-http://www.tesco.com/access--which was the only site that could be easily
accessed by those with visual impairments, dyslexia or a physical disability.
Asda (http://www.asda.co.uk), Morrisons (http://www.morereasons.co.uk)
and Sainsburys (http://www.sainsburys.co.uk) scored one star each, while
Somerfield (http://www.somerfield.co.uk) and Tesco's mainstream site
(http://www.tesco.com) fared marginally better with two stars.
Common problems encountered by AbilityNet's researchers included "hardcoded" text which could not be enlarged; a lack of text labels for images;
and the use of JavaScript mini-programmes which aren't recognized by some
older browsers or by some of the specialist browsers used by the visually
impaired.
The report praised Somerfield for having the "most accessible of the
'mainstream' supermarket websites." However, its site is not e-commerce
enabled and so doesn't offer the convenience of online shopping for disabled
users, said the report.
"We are quite pleased with our two-star ranking, which is better than some
of the other supermarket sites," said Nicholas Hall, marketing controller at
Somerfield. "But we don't think we should be harshly judged for not offering
an e-commerce site. It is a deliberate part of our strategy not to be an ecommerce operation, because we are a local high-street retailer that
encourages people to physically visit our stores. We aren't like some of the
larger supermarkets who often have stores out of town and are more suited
to an e-commerce offering."
Asda, Morrisons, Sainsburys and Somerfield have made pledges to improve
the accessibility of their sites. The report says that by having inaccessible
sites, the supermarkets are missing out on a market of over seven million
people with an estimated spending power of 120 billion pounds a year.
Copyright 2005 Headstar Ltd.: http://www.headstar.com
GROCER REMOVES BARRIERS
Kroger redefines shopping experience with its blind customers in mind
By: Randy Tucker
Editor’s Note: The following article is reprinted from the Cincinnati
Enquirer, May 8, 2003.
North College Hill--Terry Strader likes to say he took the first blind taste test
at the Kroger store here.
But he didn't sample peanut butter brands or sausage links when he walked
into one of the Cincinnati-based grocery giant's newest stores, just after it
opened in June. Instead, Strader, 49, who has been blind since birth, tested
the store's layout for how well it accommodates customers with visual
impairments.
In his opinion, Kroger rolled out the red carpet.
"The best thing about the Kroger here is that the staff is more than willing to
help you find things," he said Wednesday, while shopping for cat food and
cookies with the help of a store employee trained in the Human Guide
Technique. “I know how to get to the service desk, and once I get there,
there's always somebody there to assist me."
Strader can thank his employer--Clovernook Center for the Blind and
Visually Impaired, about 2 blocks south of Kroger at 7000 Hamilton Ave.-for the store's blind-friendly design.
Officials from Clovernook, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary today,
worked closely with Kroger executives to ensure that architectural barriers
would be removed and effective communication and guidance would be
provided for the dozens of visually impaired people who shop at Kroger and
use Clovernook's services.
The Kroger is another example of the impact that Clovernook has had on the
neighbourhood. Audible traffic signals and textured sidewalks have been
installed at many intersections to help the visually impaired travel safely and
independently throughout the community.
"What they (Kroger) have done here is a benefit to the whole community,"
Janet Burns, a Clovernook spokeswoman, said. "It not only benefits the 40
to 60 people that work for us and live in the community, but it also benefits
the elderly and those who may have trouble getting around because of other
disabilities."
Blind or visually impaired visitors to the Kroger store benefit from a variety
of special design features and services.
The textured sidewalks near three entrances let the visually impaired know
that they're crossing high-traffic areas as they approach the store.
The absence of vending machines, benches or newspaper stands near the
entrances eliminates troublesome obstructions.
Once inside, visually impaired customers can request assistance from
employees who have been trained to help them find their way around and
even load groceries.
The store even provides weekly sales fliers at the customer service desk that
have been printed in braille at Clovernook.
“We worked closely with the staff at Clovernook to incorporate as many of
their design recommendations as possible," Gary Rhodes, a Kroger
spokesman, said. "These are things that anyone with sight probably wouldn't
notice, but for someone who is blind, it makes a big difference."
Kroger efforts have been recognized with a national award from the
American Foundation for the Blind and a local award from the Inclusion
Network--a Greater Cincinnati nonprofit organization that promotes
inclusion of people with disabilities.
Earlier this year, The American Foundation for the Blind presented Kroger
with its annual Access Award, and the Inclusion Network named Kroger the
winner of its 2003 Community Inclusion Award.
Email: rtucker@enquirer.com
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT YOU PLANT
By: Kim Kierans
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Sunday Herald,
September 7, 2003.
A MASTER GARDENER from South Nictaux shares the secrets of growing
prize-winning vegetables without ever seeing the product of his labour.
Arthur Shepperdson of South Nictaux picked up 10 ribbons at the Annapolis
Valley Exhibition for his garden vegetables. His success followed the Best
in Show prize for green beans at the Wilmot Garden Club flower and
vegetable show. What makes these wins notable is that Mr. Shepperdson is
blind.
"I used to garden before I went blind," he told Susanne Wagner of the
Monitor-Examiner. Mr. Shepperdson said when he lost all his sight 11 years
ago he looked at how he could continue his hobby.
"I tried gardening on the flat ground, but that didn't work. I broke
everything." So he decided to build boxes and garden in raised beds. His
entire back yard is filled with garden boxes that are four feet by 20 feet,
about 60 in all. And Mr. Shepperdson knows what's in each one.
"When I plant my garden I record everything on cassette - potatoes in box
three, this end a certain variety. I can remember most of them but it helps in
planning for the next season when you should plant different crops."
He has markers attached to each planter to help him get around the yard.
"When you're blind you have to have something to follow. It's all, 'how am I
going to make it easy for myself to get from point A to point B?'"
Mr. Shepperdson said he devised his system because he there was no
information on gardening for the blind.
"I didn't have someone to tell me how."
He said the way he gardens would also work for people confined to a
wheelchair.
Kim Kierans is the director of the University of King's College school of
journalism in Halifax.
E-mail: kim.kierans@ukings.ns.ca
BRAILLE NEW WORLD FOR SPANISH SHOPPERS
By: Anthony Fletcher
Editor's Note: This article is reprinted from Food Production Daily,
November 7, 2003: http://www.foodproductiondaily.com
Spanish supermarket group Alcampo is to introduce labels in braille on 60 of
its own label products, the first retail group in Spain to cater for blind
customers in this way.
Braille consists of a series of raised dots representing numbers and letters,
allowing blind people to “read” by running their fingers over the text.
Alcampo said that the scheme was being introduced in association with
ONCE, the Spanish association which lobbies on behalf of the blind, and
would be rapidly expanded to cover 200 products sold under the Auchan
label. Alcampo is owned by France's Auchan group.
The company said that it hoped to reach the 200-product threshold by the
middle of next year, adding that braille labels would be included on all its
basic grocery items by 2005.
Alcampo has been selling a range of own label canned seafood products
with braille labels for several months, and has decided to extend the scheme
to other products in the important pre-Christmas period.
With this in mind, several of the products featuring the braille labels will be
traditional Spanish Christmas favourites such as nougat and other
confectionery products.
There are more than 63,000 blind people registered with ONCE, whose
cultural resources division worked closely with Alcampo to develop the new
labels. The chain said that ONCE's expertise had been invaluable in deciding
what information to include on the braille labels and what the best materials
were to use on the product packaging.
Alcampo has in fact been working closely with ONCE since 2000 as part of
the latter's campaign to promote better working conditions for people with
disabilities.
The company operates 44 hypermarkets across Spain.
Alcampo is the first food retailer in Spain to cater for blind customers with
labelling of this sort, and the picture appears to be the same across Europe.
In the UK, for example, one of Europe's most forward-looking retail
markets, only the Co-op has a wide range of products featuring braille
labels, although other such as market leader Tesco are said to be considering
introducing them.
Auchan, Alcampo's parent company in France, is by far the biggest group to
go down this responsible route. In fact, all its own label products, food and
non-food (excluding textiles), now carry braille labels. It is estimated that
around a third of France's 1.5 million blind or partially sighted people can
read braille.
Emmanuel Quesseveur of the organization Donne-Moi Tes Yeux, which
produces the braille labels for the chain, told FoodandDrinkEurope.com that
taking the decision to introduce braille labelling was probably the hardest
part of the process. "Basically it all boils down to whether companies are
willing to take that final step; it’s a question of taking responsibility."
Auchan has been working with Donne-Moi Tes Yeux, an organization which
lobbies to make French businesses and public alike aware of the challenges
facing blind people every day of their lives, since 1999/2000, and after a
lengthy consultation period, the two organizations launched the first Auchan
products with braille labels in November 2001. Now all the store chain's
own label products carry the labelling, both in France and elsewhere.
In fact, Alcampo is not the first foreign subsidiary to get the braille labels.
Quesseveur said that the Jumbo chain in Brazil and Portugal had already
introduced the braille labels in association with the national associations for
the blind there.
Retailers across Europe are increasingly expanding their social
responsibilities, and more product labels of this sort are likely to be seen in
the future. A handful of brand manufacturers are also going down this route-Quesseveur said that some frozen food products from Unilever already had
braille labels, for example--but the likelihood is that most of the activity will
come at the own label end of the market.
This is for a number of reasons, not least cost. The enormous buying power
of the supermarket groups puts them in a very strong position when it comes
to persuading their suppliers to shoulder at least some of the cost of
introducing braille labels, and Quesseveur said that the procedure itself was
not particularly expensive--it was simply a matter of adding a cardboard
braille label to the existing packaging.
But with most of the French retailers using the same few producers for their
own label brands--at least according to Quesseveur--it would not take much
for the majority of supermarket groups to offer their own label products with
braille labelling. He added that most of the major European retailers were
considering labelling of this sort.
Auchan, in any case, has a massive head start in this field, with the 1,000th
own label product featuring braille set to hit the shelves next month.
Foodproductiondaily.com, January 3, 2005
Copyright 2005NOVIS. Reprinted with permission of Food Production
Daily.com
This reprint does not constitute or imply any endorsement or sponsorship of
any product, service, company or organization.
Visit our website at: http://www.foodproductiondaily.com
Article online at
http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng/asp?id=30787
"COOKING WITHOUT LOOKING" HELPS BLIND COOKS
By: Jan Norris, Food Editor
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from the Palm Beach Post,
September 30, 2004.
A television cooking show for the blind and visually impaired--now there's a
concept you don't see everyday--ha ha.
"If I had a dollar for every joke I've heard about it, I'd be talking to you from
Paris right now," said Renee Rentmeester, the producer of Cooking Without
Looking.
The first of 13 segments of the series featuring blind or visually impaired
hosts, cooks and live audience was videotaped Sept. 15 at the WXELChannel 42 studios in Boynton Beach.
"Everyone has to eat, right? And it's a dependency, not being able to cook,
or not thinking you can do it. Once the visually impaired see others who are
totally blind working in a kitchen, it may help take away their fear of getting
in the kitchen," Rentmeester said.
The taping at WXEL was done before an audience of sight-impaired and
totally blind people. They loved the banter that those without vision would
throw at the production crew, all of whom had their sight.
"How do I figure out where the camera is?" said host Allen Preston, whose
black Labrador guide dog, John T., rested quietly behind the cooking
counter, out of the camera's view.
"Look for the red light," said one cameraman. He groaned, immediately
realizing his blunder, while Preston said, "I'm looking, but I still can't see it!"
The audience laughed.
Cameraman Howard Seelig hadn't taped with the blind before, but said, "It's
no different than working with anybody else. Sighted people still can't see
the cues or read the TelePrompter."
All in the cast were eventually fitted with earpieces to hear various prompts.
Preston read from a large-print script at times, held a mere 2 inches from his
face. A polished speaker, he helped cue the others.
"I excelled at speech in college," he said. "They gave me highest marks,
saying I was phenomenal at making eye contact with my audience!"
From birth, he's had few nerve endings in the ocular nerve, and sees only
shadowy movement and high contrasts of light and dark.
Preston, of West Palm Beach, is the spokesman for the graduate program of
the Southeastern Guide Dogs. He's also active in the Lions Club, the Braille
Club and his homeowners association.
Mostly, however, he's an advocate for rights for the sight-impaired and
blind, with a focus on transportation. It was most pronounced during
Hurricane Frances, when there was no way for them to get around for ice or
water. "We had to depend on the kindness of friends. It shouldn't be that
way, however. We want to be independent; we're willing to pay our way, but
the resources aren't there," he said. "But don't get me started--I have to get
back to work here."
“A strange environment”
The 30-minute show took longer than normal to tape; the "cast" and crew
were there a full eight hours.
"We hadn't practiced together, and everybody was in a strange environment.
And really, there are a lot of people who get really flustered in front of a
camera if they're trying to cook," Rentmeester said.
But the ease with which the actual cooking segments came off was
inspiring--and the cooks clearly wanted to show they were in control, despite
the occasional mishap.
"A lot of people who are newly vision-impaired are afraid to go into the
kitchen. That's just not right: I'm totally blind and I cook almost every day,"
said Celia Chacon of Pembroke Pines.
She's a former caterer and legal worker from a Chicago suburb who lost her
vision 12 years ago after suffering retinal necropathy.
"It's important for the visually impaired to see someone who's blind doing all
of the cooking, because it makes it a lot easier to pass along tips for safety
and give them confidence, too," she said.
That's the other reason Rentmeester chose a cooking show rather than just a
talk show.
Rentmeester, who has more than 20 years in TV production in Miami, has
the statistics to back up the interest in a TV show for the visually impaired.
"A study by the American Foundation for the Blind showed that 98 percent
of people with slight or no vision watch at least 24 hours of television a
week," she said. That compares with 96 percent of all other households.
"TV was my passion, and I wanted to do something with it beyond a reality
TV show or something that meant nothing. With this show, I'm actually
doing something good with television and reaching out to people who have
very few programs specifically for them. Most of the shows are so old, their
copyright has run out.
"It's also aimed at those who may be thinking they can't do this,"
Rentmeester said.
Chacon adeptly proves them wrong. She will appear every week with the
host, while the other segment will feature a guest "cook."
For this segment, Chacon prepared easy-cheesy potatoes, a potato au gratin.
Every action was accompanied by either Preston or Chacon describing her
movements and telling how she handles the complications of working
around burners and knives without vision.
"How do you know when the oven is set at 350 degrees?" Preston asked her.
"I have raised dots--they come in large and small--on the buttons of my
stove. One is for the 'set' button, one is for 'bake' and the other is for the
temperature control. I know by pressing the button a certain number of times
when it's at 350, then it beeps when it reaches that temperature," she said.
By using a variety of shapes and weights of bowls and containers, Chacon
knows by feel what's in them. She can add things to the pot by touching the
pot's rim. "People ask how I tell salt from sugar. Simple--I taste it."
Preston pointed out that all the senses are used when sight is missing. "You
can actually smell when a dish is cooking or just about done, can't you?"
Chacon also deftly handled knives and peelers, demonstrating how she could
differentiate between the peeled portion of the potato and the unpeeled. She
used the end of the peeler to dig out the eyes, and used a cutting knife to dice
the potato. Her hands guided the knife's blade.
"Really, these safety tips are for everyone," she said. All pot handles are
turned parallel to the countertop; they can't be accidentally snagged on
clothing or knocked off and spilled. Knives are placed parallel to the counter
edge, with the blade facing away from the cook, and the handles always
placed in the same direction.
"It's all how you adapt," Chacon said.
Overcoming “little things”
Some fumbling occurred, but the cooks continued.
"That's OK," Rentmeester said. "In any other production, I'd edit out those
mistakes so it would appear seamless. But we actually want to show Celia
losing the scallions or having to feel around for the knife. In our first
segment, our cook stuck his hand directly in the whipped cream, thinking it
was a white towel. We left that in. We want other visually impaired people
to know you can overcome these little things, and that everyone is going to
make a few mistakes. But it shouldn't stop you--you just move on."
And you do it with humour.
At the end of her segment, Chacon is shown levelling the potatoes with her
hands in the casserole dish, then putting cheese over them in an even layer.
"There!" she said to Preston. "How does that look?"
"Looks fantastic to me!" he said, laughing.
For the second segment, guest "chef" Philip Goldstein of Fort Lauderdale
made his famous "gourmet" meatloaf.
Preston introduced him, and asked about his sight impairment.
"I've been totally blind for eight years," Goldstein said.
"How do you become a blind person?" Preston asked.
"I put my finger in the wrong eye," Goldstein deadpanned.
Goldstein, who says he's in his early 50s, has a background in the restaurant
and gourmet food business in New York City, but his success came from
working as a music producer during the disco era, eventually creating his
own label and booking acts. Eight years ago he contracted retinal necrosis,
and lost his vision. He's now in computer classes at the Lighthouse for the
Blind, hoping to get back into the music business.
He and Preston practiced their movements several times, with Goldstein
demonstrating how he uses differently shaped bowls to tell his ingredients
apart. "But no glass ones," he said. "I don't have any glass in my kitchen at
all--not even drinking glasses."
But he cooks all the time, he said. "I've been cooking since I was 5 years old,
helping my mother. I love to cook. I make my own pasta sauces, with all
fresh herbs, everything from scratch."
Mastering a meatloaf
Making the meatloaf, he grated the onion, demonstrating how he always
grates away from himself and grates only half the onion. "Use the other half
for something else," he said. "Otherwise, you'll cut your hand."
His grater caught the gratings, and he flipped the box of onions into the
mixture. From cups and bowls he identified by touch, he added a beaten egg,
added some garlic powder, herbs, soy sauce, bread crumbs and ketchup to
the ground sirloin, then donned rubber gloves to mix it all together.
He then patted it out into a loaf pan--he recommends disposable aluminum
pans that don't burn your hands even right out of the oven. "Or, you can put
a cookie sheet under it to prevent spills."
He brushed the meatloaf with ketchup and topped it with bacon strips and
few small handfuls of Parmesan cheese. Like most other cooks, he rarely
measures anything, usinng his hand as measuring gauge or a pinch or two of
this or that. "I'm always successful," he said.
"And this is what the finished product looks like," he said, holding up an
already baked one for the camera. Perfection.
Making a difference
Annette Watkins, also visually impaired, is the host of the third segment in
the show--an informational chat that focuses on people in the community
who are making a difference for the blind. She introduced the Lapp family,
Bill, his wife, Carolyn, and teen daughter Laura. Bill and Carolyn are blind;
he from birth and Carolyn for 14 years following a car accident.
Watkins talked to the West Palm Beach couple about raising a sighted
family, and dealing with obstacles such as transportation and discrimination.
The Lapps have begun the Florida Outreach Center, an organization for the
blind run by the blind or visually impaired.
"We wanted to share our experiences with others who are newly visionimpaired, to teach them what they need to know to become independent,"
Carolyn said. "We have positive blind role models teaching others how to
accomplish things like taking care of finances, cooking and getting the
support they need."
Rentmeester was pleased after the taping: "We have enough for an hour
here!"
The recipes featured will be displayed thanks to a computerized scanner
from Magnifying America, a Coral Springs company owned by John
Palmer. He's currently the sole underwriter for Rentmeester's shows.
"She tried for years to get funding and no one would come forward. This is
such a great thing, we said we'd do it," he said.
Rentmeester and her foundation, the World Vision Foundation, are looking
for other corporate or individual sponsors but are up against another type of
discrimination, she said.
"This is really an entertainment show, for blind people. But whenever you
say that, the companies think it's a charity thing, as though blind people don't
deserve entertainment--they only should be learning and getting useful
information. Well, how much more useful can you get than helping them
become independent?" she said.
Rentmeester is contracted to produce 13 of the shows, with the first to air
next month on WXEL. After the 13 are produced, if she can get money, she
wants to give the program to all the Public Broadcasting stations around the
country--for free.
"None of us are in this for money. None of us are getting paid, except the
production crew here at WXEL. Lee Rowand and Fred Flaxman of the
station have been so supportive of this project," she said.
If it takes off and she can find other sponsors, she wants to do even more
programming for the sight-impaired and other people with a variety of
disabilities. "I want to create ADTV, with travel, entertainment and all types
of programming that serves this very broad community," she said.
"Blindness and other disabilities cut across all the racial, age and social
barriers--it could happen to any one of us at any time. I want to take the PC
(political correctness) out of it, and have fun, and entertain, and still give
them a way to become more independent and get more out of their lives. It's
really my passion."
Editor's note: Air dates for the first episodes of Cooking Without Looking on
WXEL-Channel 42 will be announced in the Table Talk column in an
upcoming Food & Dining.
Copyright (c) 2004, The Palm Beach Post.
NANA CANNOT SEE VERY WELL
By: Beryl Williams
Editor's Note: Beryl Williams is the NFB:AE's former 1st Vice President.
She lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Becoming grandparents is something all parents contemplate periodically,
and then it becomes reality!
The long awaited arrival brings a variety of emotions including relief, pride,
joy and wonder; for me, there was also apprehension. I wanted to have an
active role despite the limitations that blindness might present, but how
would I gain the necessary self-trust and confidence to have meaningful and
fulfilling involvement with my granddaughter, along with any other little
ones to come in the future?
After the initial stages of adjustment by all, especially the new parents, I was
entrusted with short periods of babysitting, which presented no immediate
problems or anxieties. The time between feedings was usually taken up with
the baby sleeping, interrupted only by occasional fussing and diaper
changing. As baby Alice developed, however, her natural curiosity soon
began to expand the boundaries of her environment, and my role became
more challenging.
As anyone with personal experience caring for infants knows only too well,
it is necessary to be constantly alert and aware of their every movement.
This presents a definite challenge to someone unable to keep a sharp eye on
their charge. Monitoring requires 100% awareness, and lack of sight
demands being at hand's reach at all times.
Children's instinctive curiosity motivates mobility sooner than is good for
their safety, and it is imperative to create a hazard-free environment. While
it is virtually impossible to avoid all the potential disasters quietly lurking
around every corner or behind every door, using common sense, child-proof
safety techniques can guard against obvious dangers, making child care a
more relaxed occupation for all concerned. This is true for anyone but
particularly so if one is not able to keep a visual check.
I have not taken on the responsibility of outdoor activities beyond our fenced
garden or neighbourhood sidewalk yet; I am more at ease in a familiar
setting, where the comfort level is almost up to par with that of sighted
family members. There will be lots of opportunity for venturing further
afield once a strong mutual understanding and respect of limitations and
boundaries has developed. I am proving to myself and family members that,
despite my limited visual acuity, I am more than capable and responsible to
be in sole charge of my grandchildren.
I do miss participating in visual activities like drawing, painting, crafts,
looking at and reading picture books; nevertheless, there are many ways I
can compensate. Traditional and improvisational storytelling, nursery
rhymes and games, along with a wealth of songs, all provide wonderful
quality time together and opportunities for sharing.
Baking and cooking are other popular activities although things can get a
little hectic now that there are two little assistants dragging over stools as
soon as they notice I am about to start something. The children are also
learning that certain things are out of bounds, particularly around the
stovetop burners.
I believe my greatest contribution is the quality time we share talking and
listening together, which certainly can never be diminished or compromised
by my lack of sight. I trust there are some very positive images and attitudes
being absorbed by these children, which will remain with them forever.
Their understanding is already beyond their years. They see nothing unusual
about Nana seeing and doing things in a different way. As Alice often
remarks, "That is because you cannot see very well, isn't it Nana?"
Naturally, there are times when I wish I could see. Sight would allow me
greater freedom to do many more activities, but there is far too much joy and
happiness at hand to cherish and little gained by dwelling on the negative. I
am reassured by the confidence and trust that are enabling me to be the Nana
I always hoped I'd be.
I now have four grandchildren, on whom I can lavish all my affections and
indulgences while developing and building a strong and lifelong relationship
with the next generation. I believe I can enrich the lives of all my
grandchildren. As time passes, all too quickly, their memories of times spent
together with Nana will be happy ones.
CREATING A COMFORTABLE ENVIRONMENT FOR OLDER
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE VISUALLY IMPAIRED
Editor's Note: This item is excerpted from the website of the American
Foundation for the Blind: http://www.afb.org/section.asp?Documentid=1417
Making a private or public environment comfortable and functional for
individuals who are blind or visually impaired should be part of universal
design for older people, benefiting all older individuals.
Making facilities and programs and activities safe and accessible for older
participants who are blind or visually impaired does not necessarily require a
great deal of time, energy or money. It is a matter of knowing the basics and
planning for easy access during the initial design of the facility and its
programs.
The use of lighting, colour contrast and the reduction of glare are important
factors architects and interior designers must be aware of for effective
environmental design.
Individuals working in the field of aging should take these vision factors into
consideration when designing environments for older persons, particularly
senior centres, retirement communities, assistive living environments and
nursing homes.
The suggestions below can be used to conduct an initial assessment of the
environment. A vision rehabilitation professional can provide further
assistance in assessing the environment and making recommendations for
changes to enhance safe and independent functioning, and active
participation. Here are the primary environmental elements needed for older
persons who are blind or visually impaired to be able to function
independently in any environment.
Environmental Adaptations or Modifications that Enhance Functioning
Lighting
In recreation and reading areas, provide plenty of floor lamps and table
lamps.
Advise people who are visually impaired that light should always be aimed
at the work they are doing, not at the eyes.
Replace burned out light bulbs regularly.
Place mirrors so that lighting doesn't reflect off them and create glare.
For window coverings, use adjustable blinds, sheer curtains or draperies,
because they allow for the adjustment of natural light.
Keep a few chairs near windows for reading or doing hand crafts in natural
light.
Furniture
Arrange furniture in small groupings so that people can converse easily.
Make sure there is adequate lighting near furniture.
When purchasing new furniture, select upholstery with texture when
possible. Texture provides tactile clues for identification.
Use brightly coloured accessories, such as vases and lamps, to make
furniture easier to locate.
Avoid upholstery and floor covering with patterns. Stripes and checks can
create confusion for people who are visually impaired.
Elimination of Hazards
Replace worn carpeting and floor covering.
Tape down or remove area rug.
Remove electrical cords from pathways, or tape down for safety.
Do not wax floors; use non-skid, non-glare products to clean and polish
floors.
Keep desk chairs and table chairs pushed in.
Move large pieces of furniture out of the main traffic areas.
If telephone booths protrude into main traffic areas, have them moved.
Use of Colour Contrast
Place light objects against a dark background, a dark table near a white wall,
for example, or a black switch plate on a white wall.
Install doorknobs that contrast in colour with doors for easy location.
Paint the woodwork of the doorframe a contrasting colour to make it easier
to locate.
Mark the edges of all steps and ramps with paint or tape of a highly
contrasting colour.
Hallways and Stairways
In hallways, make sure that lighting is uniform throughout.
Place drinking fountains and fire extinguishers along one wall only
throughout hallways to allow individuals who are visually impaired to trail
the other wall without encountering obstacles.
Install grab bars where they may be needed.
Light stairwells clearly.
Make certain that stairway railings extend beyond the top and bottom steps.
Mark landings in a highly contrasting colour.
Signs
Place all signs at eye level, with large lettering according to specifications
outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Provide braille signage according to ADA specifications.
Mark emergency exits clearly.
When making signs by hand, use a heavy black felt-tip pen on a white, offwhite or light yellow, non-glossy background.
Telephones
Provide some telephones with large-print keypads or dials.
Provide telephone amplifiers, which increase the level of sound.
These basic environmental design and safety tips can go a long way toward
making a facility a comfortable and accessible environment for older
persons who are visually impaired, and for everyone else who uses the
facility and services. Increasingly, these elements must be incorporated into
universal design.
Copyright 2004. Reprinted with permission of American Foundation for the
Blind. All rights reserved.
ACCESSIBILITY AND APPEAL: INTERIOR DESIGN COMPLEMENTS
By: Sara Bennett
What could an interior designer and a person with low vision possibly have
in common?—They both must consider lighting, colour and general decor
when making an environment (either their clients’ or their own) more
comfortable. No one knows this better than Gord Smith of Toronto, who is
legally blind and who has worked in the interior design field for
approximately 15 years.
The ability to create aesthetically pleasing surroundings and impaired vision
are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they’re complementary. The access
issues that influence a legally blind person’s choice of decor and design only
add to the likelihood of ending up with a visually appealing room.
Says Smith, “I was only 19 or 20 when I became interested in making the
environment in which I lived more comfortable for myself—more visually
accessible and more visually appealing. Whether it’s lighting level, type of
flooring or wall finish—they all contribute to how a room looks or feels by
impacting colour contrast, glare, etc. This interest and realization led
naturally to working with others to improve their environments.”
One summer while working in a retail store selling home furnishings, wall
and floor coverings, a colleague encouraged Smith to pursue his passion.
“The interior designer there was taken with my work and suggested I try
self-employment,” says Smith. “Not once did I think my vision impairment
would present any difficulties.”
Gord Smith earned a diploma in Home Furnishing Merchandising from
Centennial College, and accreditation from both the Ontario College of Art
and Design and the Ryerson School of Interior Design.
“I had large print textbooks,” states Smith, “and a note taker provided me
with large print class notes. For reading image captions, I used a closedcircuit television (CCTV); and for creating designs, I used Auto CAD, a
computer program with a built-in screen magnifier.
“For tasks where I could not use a computer, I had a sighted assistant. In one
class, for instance, when we had to use paints to combine two colours to
create a third, I chose the original colours and the assistant did the actual
“colouring”, because I had difficulty applying the colours evenly and in the
right place.
“In Drafting class, similarly, the assistant did the actual drawing once I
selected the furnishings for a room, where I wanted them to go, and the
relative scale of things.”
As a self-employed interior designer working in both residential and
commercial environments, Gord Smith “wore many hats. Some clients knew
what they wanted but needed a guiding hand, while others asked for
recommendations. The job could be anything from selecting a paint colour
to go with a particular fabric, to knocking down a portion of a house or
office and designing a new environment.”
To stay abreast of current trends, designers consult trade journals and attend
trade shows. Through industry events, they develop a network of contacts
from manufacturers to contractors, whereby they give and receive referrals.
Since Smith was recommended to most of his clients, they usually already
knew something about his work and vision impairment. For the most part,
his vision was a non-issue.
Smith used Auto CAD to generate drawings of recommended changes for
his clients. He also had an architect create a rendering to show what the final
product would look like.
For the “business” side of self-employment, he used his computer, which is
equipped with ZoomText, a screen magnification program.
Besides having low vision himself, Smith worked with several clients who
were vision-impaired. From commercial clients wanting their offices
overhauled to residential clients desiring a change, “the common complaint
was that the environment was too bright or not bright enough.”
Having faced the same issues himself, Smith was “better equipped to
recommend solutions in terms of lighting, colour contrast, possible glare etc.
Even with fully sighted clients, I had an advantage because these are
elements they often don’t consider.”
Although he was uniquely positioned to be successful in his field, Smith had
to consider economics. “During the 90’s, interior design was a booming
business and it seemed like everyone was in the field,” explains Smith.
“Sometimes when you’re self-employed, you live hand to mouth.”
Smith returned to retail but found that this presented some unique
challenges. “I had difficulty with the lighting in some stores, with both
overexposure and underexposure, and the way traffic areas were lit,” he
confides. “Also, customers noticed when I held fabrics, coverings or books
close to my face, and they asked questions.”
When the store where Smith was working in the late 90’s relocated, he
decided to leave retail and focus on consulting, which he is still involved in
today.
When asked for words of wisdom he could share with others who are visionimpaired and thinking of entering the interior design field, Gord Smith says,
“Go for it. This business presents certain challenges for everyone.
“Learn to meet your unique challenges by tapping into the insight and
knowledge you have as a person with low vision. Work with your vision
impairment--not against it.”
INTERNATIONAL CORNER
TERROR WAVE: TSUNAMI AND DISABILITY
By: Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo (cmcclainnhlapo@worldbank.org)
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from Disability World, Issue
no. 26, December 2004-February 2005: http://www.disabilityworld.org
The 26th of December, 2004, was the beginning of a new wave of shock and
terror that faced the world. Weeks after the tsunami, the emerging picture is
unprecedented. The magnitude and scale of the devastation is staggering.
The death toll to date is unparalleled and still many more people are at risk,
unaccounted for, displaced, shattered and shocked.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 150,000 people are
now at extreme risk of disease and that more than a half million people are
seriously injured. Many of those injured will become permanently disabled
in one of the largest mass casualty events in recent times. Early reports from
disaster assistance experts indicate massive numbers of lower-extremity
injuries and amputations.
Because people with disabilities are among the most neglected populations
worldwide, what were likely scarce resources in the first place may now be
overwhelmed with the dramatically increased need. In order to identify and
meet the coming demand for health, rehabilitation, accessible housing, and
the many other needs of people with disabilities in communities throughout
South Asia, a thorough assessment of the situation is essential.
Particular vulnerability of people with disabilities
It is also critical that we examine what impact the emergency relief and posttsunami reconstruction will have on the vulnerability of those at risk with a
particular focus on people with disabilities.
Research shows us that in most disasters there are groups in society who
experience discrimination in relation to relief aid distribution, are vulnerable
to abuse, predators and heinous violations of their human rights. Their
vulnerability can be based on factors such as disability, gender, geographical
location, ethnicity, age or caste.
There are a number of important areas to pay attention to in responding to
the disaster:
The coping mechanisms for people with disabilities in the crisis situation--at
an individual level
The actions of the governments, NGO's, donor agencies and other relief
agencies. [are they accessing people with disabilities?]
The reconstruction process that will be spearheaded by governments with
the assistance from the international community [is it accessible?]
The increase in numbers of people with disabilities as a result of the
Tsunami
Suggested interventions from a disability perspective
The Tsunami in the region was a natural phenomenon. However, the impact
and the result of those who intervene is not. The interventions may be
determined by the circumstances such as poverty, spatial location, social
inequalities, gender, age and disability. There is always a risk that in relief
initiatives, further marginalization of the most vulnerable occurs.
It is therefore important to recognize and more importantly act on the
vulnerability of people with disabilities in this situation of shock and
disaster. Using a disability perspective, the following need to be considered:
The socio-economic vulnerability of people with disabilities.
The organizational capacity of Disabled People's Organizations (DPOs) as
support networks and in many cases as primary sources of information. They
will need to be strengthened.
The need for specific contingency plans for people with disabilities to be
developed for emergency relief.
The lack of secure employment.
Inadequate and lack of access to health care services.
Inadequate nutrition and threats of food insecurity.
The loss of housing.
Loss of primary care givers.
The general lack of access to public and/or private transport.
New opportunity to address inequality and inclusiveness
However, notwithstanding the devastation, this disaster can provide a real
opportunity for addressing inequality and ensuring more inclusiveness in the
process of reconstruction by thoughtful planning that is premised on
transforming society and removing barriers. It will however require that the
reconstruction be people-centred and participatory if we are serious about
achieving equity and social justice. We cannot and should not be part of
reconstructing inequality and poverty.
Fostering contingency planning and emergency preparedness at the local
level is just as important, if not more so, than the planning undertaken by
humanitarians. Contingency planning at the community level increases local
resilience before, during and after a disaster.
We must remember that the people most directly affected by a development
issue have the best ideas, analysis and opinions about how to address that
issue. Our efforts should be to facilitate this.
(Editor's note: The author, an occasional writer for DisabilityWorld since its
inception, is a Commissioner of the South Africa Human Rights
Commission, detailed this year to the World Bank's Asia office.)
News Sources on Tsunami & People with Disabilities
The World Bank's Global Partnership on Disability & Development is
operating a listserv on the topic and many NGOs have written in detailing
their activities. Send email to: gpdd@lists.worldbank.org
UNESCAP's Asia Pacific Center on Disability, headquartered in Bangkok,
has started a web page of projects and news about disabled people affected
by tsunami: www.apcdproject.org/tsunami
Tracking mainstream news articles concerned with impact of tsunami on
disabled persons in the region:
www.abilityinfo.com/ticker/tsunamidisability.html
GP'S "FAILING PARTIALLY SIGHTED"
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from BBC News Online,
June 6, 2004: http://www.news.bbc.co.uk
Over half of people with visual impairments feel family doctors could
improve at least some aspects of the care they provide, a survey has found.
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association interviewed 832 blind and
partially sighted people.
They highlighted problems such as staff failing to help them to a seat and a
lack of braille or large print advice.
The Royal College of GPs said its members were looking at ways in which
the service could be improved.
Their survey asked detailed questions about people's last visit to a GP
surgery. Over half needed help in finding a seat in the waiting area, yet only
about 26% received it.
Ninety-five percent never received health advice leaflets in preferred format
such as braille or large print.
Almost two thirds of those questioned felt other staff in the surgery were not
fully aware of their needs.
“Improve access”
The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association is launching a campaign to
improve NHS care for the blind and partially sighted in the House of
Commons on Tuesday.
Every surgery in the UK has been sent information about the Access for All
campaign and the association aims to compile a national set of standards
which would act as a model of good practice for GPs.
The association is also calling for NHS staff to receive better training so they
are able to meet the needs of visually impaired people.
It is also calling for practical access to surgery premises to be improved.
Tom Pey, director of policy for the association, said: "There are around 1.7m
blind and partially sighted people in the UK; 90% of these are over 60.
"As demographic trends indicate that the elderly population is set to rise in
the next couple of decades, the ability of the NHS to respond to the needs of
visually impaired people is of paramount importance."
“Development”
He added: "The report has highlighted specific areas in need of
improvement.
"Many of these, such as assisting someone to a seat and into the surgery and
improving signage around the building could easily be resolved at no great
expense.
"Well trained staff, accessible information and a safe building will be of
clear benefit to both patients and staff."
Dr. Maureen Baker, honorary secretary of the Royal College of General
Practitioners (RCGP), said: "There are very real problems in gaining access
to care for this group of patients.
"The RCGP Disability Task Group is exploring ways of developing training
and support for GPs in their work with blind or partially sighted patients."
"SAFER STREETS" FOR THE BLIND URGED
By: Mohammed Al A'Ali
Editor's Note: The following article is reprinted from Gulf Daily News,
October 14, 2004.
A call has gone out to make Bahrain's streets safer for blind pedestrians. It
coincides with White Cane Safety Day, which is being marked around the
globe today.
Campaigners for the blind are using the occasion to demand better facilities
to help them navigate Bahrain's streets.
They say the most urgent requirement is traffic lights that beep when it is
time to cross the road.
"The authorities are not helping us by pushing for better facilities," said
Bahrain-Saudi Institute for the Blind director Abdulwahid Al Khayat.
"In developed countries like Europe, they have many facilities to help
disabled people cross the road.
"Here they say disabled people are an important pillar of society, but I have
yet to know of anything to help them in the street or in public places.
"The blind are really suffering while walking in the street, with a stick or
not, because there are no sounds coming out from the traffic lights alerting
them when to cross and when not to."
According to Mr. Al Khayat, there are just two sets of traffic lights in
Bahrain which beep when it is time to cross the road.
They are located at Bab Al Bahrain and in Gudaibiya.
"Are these the only two places that blind people visit?" he asked.
Mr. Al Khayat also said there are no special pavements for blind people.
In Europe, some streets also have bumps in the pavement to warn blind
people that they are close to a main road.
In addition, he wants to see braille numbers in elevators so blind people
know which floor they are choosing.
Now he thinks municipal councillors should push for such measures to be
included by the government at new towns under development, as well as
existing facilities being updated.
Although White Cane Safety Day will be marked around the world today,
activities will not take place in Bahrain until tomorrow because it clashes
with the start of Ramadan.
It will be marked with an assembly at the institute tomorrow morning, while
a special festival will take place by the end of the month to educate people
on how to use white canes properly.
"We are also planning to raise awareness among blind people about the right
way to use the stick--something which needs a lot of practice and patience,"
said Mr. Al Khayat.
"Blind adolescents are mainly being targeted ensuring they are capable of
walking with the stick, something that many blind people have problems
mastering because they are not being properly trained on using it."
He also stressed there is a huge difference between caring for the blind and
smothering them.
"It should always be the blind person who holds on to the person leading
him or her, not the other way round," he said.
"The person guiding should always be a step ahead because it allows the
blind person to get an idea of their surroundings--such as whether there are
slopes or steps.
"Sighted people should also not offer help to a blind person walking on the
street unless help is requested or if the person is in obvious distress."
October 15 was proclaimed White Cane Safety Day by U.S. President
Lyndon Johnson in 1964 after a joint resolution was passed by Congress.
Blind people have been using canes for centuries, but it was not until after
the First World War that a British photographer named James Biggs was
blinded in an accident and painted his cane white.
Canes have advanced enormously since they were first used by blind people
to aid mobility.
These days people can even purchase electronic canes to help them get
around.
"The white electronic sticks have helped the blind get independence they
need to be successful and never worry about facing any extra problems-other than being blind," said Mr. Al Khayat.
HIGHLIGHTS OF RECENT AEBC ACTIVITIES
* New Name, Logo and Image
The most important highlight is our new name, Alliance for Equality of
Blind Canadians/L'Alliance pour l'ÉgalitÉ des Personnes Aveugles du
Canada, new look logo and new, fully accessible website:
http://www.blindcanadians.ca
See elsewhere in this issue for further details of this exciting change.
* Assistive Devices Report
Key findings from our report on assistive devices across Canada are: 66% of
survey participants are unable to acquire all the devices they need, and even
56% living in provinces that have assistive devices programs are unable to
acquire all the devices they need; over 88% of survey participants indicated
that special devices were essential for accessing information, yet over 76%
indicated they needed more devices to access the information needed;
existing programs are not adequate; and deaf-blind Canadians have the
greatest unmet needs.
Copies of the full report can be obtained from our National Office or found
on our website at:
http://www.blindcanadians.ca/reports/index.php?ReportID=26
Copies of the report summary may also be obtained from National Office or
viewed on our website at:
http://www.blindcanadians.ca/reports/index.php?ReportID=27
* Collective Action Restores Talking Book Library Hours
In January of 2005, representatives from our Victoria Chapter, the Canadian
National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and the Canadian Federation of the
Blind (CFB) joined forces with Talking Book Club members to persuade the
Greater Victoria Public Library Board to reverse their decision to cut the
Talking Book Library hours.
Jerry Chodeckt (one of our new members) led the campaign, and as a result
of our combined efforts the Library Board has reversed its decision and has
also agreed to consult with the blind community regarding any future service
changes.
* Saskatoon Chapter Surveys Banks on Accessibility Issues
Our Saskatoon Chapter is surveying Canada's major banks and some credit
unions, requesting current information on various banking services,
including automated teller machines with speech; accessible, secure online
and telephone banking; documentation in braille, large print and electronic
text files for credit card and bank statements, mortgage and all other
financial agreements, contracts and correspondence, and other publications
and circulars to customers.
* Central Okanagan Chapter Announces Essay Contest Winners
The Central Okanagan Chapter conducted an essay contest with students at
Okanagan University College, asking students to write an essay of up to
1,000 words on what they think it would be like to wake up blind one
morning. Entries are posted on our website at:
http://www.blindcanadians.ca/resources
The Chapter has awarded prizes to Shannon Romano and Sarah Cooper,
whose entries may be found respectively at:
http://www.blindcanadians.ca/resources/essays/differentkind.php and
http://www.blindcanadians.ca/resources/essays/wereblind.php
* ACAT Meeting
At the November meeting of the Minister of Transport's Advisory
Committee on Accessible Transportation (ACAT), recommendations
adopted included:
That the Minister undertake a review of the Canadian Transportation
Agency’s process to ensure protection of all disabled persons and seniors
travelling within Canada, entering Canada and travelling outside Canada;
That the Minister indicate that the department is ready to discuss movement
away from voluntary Codes of Practice and pursue regulation of
accessibility;
That the findings of the Service Animal Workshop be used to develop a
standard of service for travellers with service animals;
That the visibility of disability awareness training be raised; and
That the Minister encourage recurrent training in all modes in the federal
transportation network.
The Committee is at a very crucial turning point, and it is up to the Minister
to determine if it is valid and therefore if he is willing to give support for the
work being done.
* Access 2 Entertainment Card
The Motion Picture Theatre Associations of Canada and the National
Advisory Committee of Disability Organizations have developed a program
that will provide discounted admission to a support person accompanying a
person with a disability to member movie theatres across Canada.
Applications for an Access 2 Entertainment card can be found at
http://www.Access2.ca or a request for an application can be mailed to:
Access 2 Entertainment, 90 Eglinton Ave. E., Suite 208, Toronto, Ont., M4P
2Y3.
* Presentation at National Education Association of Disabled Students
(NEADS) Right On! Conference 2004
The Access to Accessible Materials for Print Disabled Students seminar
included discussion on different types of alternative formats, the ways in
which books are transcribed, where electronic books can be obtained, pros
and cons of scanning material, negative attitudes about alternative formats
and the coordination of transcription services.
Terri Hulett discussed current post-secondary human rights cases that have
gone to the Supreme Court of Canada and the need for increased advocacy
support by/for post-secondary students who have a print disability.
2004 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
In 2004, the National Federation of the Blind: Advocates for Equality
(NFB:AE) was pleased to award five scholarships to outstanding Canadians
for their academic achievements and ability to meet life’s challenges.
John Robert Doyle of LaSalle, Quebec, is the winner of the Alan H. Neville
Memorial Scholarship. Not only was Doyle the first blind student to obtain a
degree in Pure and Applied Sciences from Quebec’s college system at
Dawson College, he did it with an average grade of 92 percent. He continued
his academic high standards at McGill University, completing a Bachelor of
Arts degree with a major in Humanistic Studies and minor in Education.
Battling juvenile diabetes all his life, Doyle says his wife and daughter are
his two major inspirations.
Tejinder Kaur of Mississauga, Ontario, is winner of T-Base
Communications’ Business, Education and Technology Scholarship. Legally
blind, she fled a life of abuse in India with her two young children. She is
studying to become a Human Resources Professional at Sheridan College,
and in her spare time works at a battered women's shelter. She speaks with
love and pride of her children and looks forward to the day when she has a
full-time job and can provide a good life for her family.
Chris Riccomini of Sarnia, Ontario, is winner of the NFB:AE’s Toronto
Chapter Scholarship, which also includes a lifetime membership to the
organization. Born legally blind, he is in his second year of honours music at
Wilfrid Laurier University and his goal is to graduate with a Bachelor of
Music Therapy degree. Riccomini volunteers at a music program for adults
with acquired brain injuries, and sits on a Canadian National Institute for the
Blind music committee that organizes a yearly recital and provides
scholarship money to young blind musicians. Music therapy allows
Riccomini to combine something he loves with a practical career where he
can help other people, many of whom face similar challenges because of a
disability.
Norah Good-Broughton, winner of the Courtesy Call Scholarship, was born
with 20/200 vision and moved to Ottawa, Ontario, at age 15 to finish high
school because of limited school resources in her hometown of Halliburton.
She became top female athlete in her final year and moved on to compete
provincially, nationally and internationally in blind sports, culminating in
becoming a member of the Calgary Winter Olympics torch run in 1987.
After working as a Health Care Aide for a number of years, she returned to
Algonquin College, where she is currently enrolled in a two-year
Developmental Services Worker program. Good-Broughton lives in Ottawa
with her husband and three boys.
Larianna Brown of Vancouver, British Columbia, is the winner of the
NFB:AE National Achievement Scholarship. Having completed her
undergraduate degree in Forest Conservation, she spent more than two years
working and volunteering in southern Mexico and three Canadian provinces,
helping with international forest certification policy revisions and
community forestry initiatives. Brown now studies at the School of
Community and Regional Planning at the University of British Columbia
and hopes to complete her Masters of Science in Planning by December of
2005. She also volunteers at Crabtree Corner, a community support service
organization for low income women in Canada’s poorest postal code-Vancouver’s Downtown East Side.
Congratulations to these Canadian scholars!
WELCOME TO THE AEBC'S YEAR 2005 SCHOLARSHIP
PROGRAMME!
PLEASE NOTE: APPLICATION DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 15, 2005!
INTRODUCTION
The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC), formerly the
National Federation of the Blind: Advocates for Equality (NFB:AE), is an
organization dedicated to providing blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted
individuals with the opportunities they need to compete on an equal basis
with other members of Canadian society. Through public education and
advocacy, our organization works to improve the lives of these Canadians by
providing a forum for mentorship, discussion and action on issues of
common concern.
Each year, the AEBC offers a minimum of three $1500 scholarships to
recognize outstanding blind, deaf-blind and partially sighted Canadian
scholars. This year there will be three awards:
The Business, Education and Technology Scholarship funded by T-Base
Communications, Ottawa, Ontario
The Alan H. Neville Memorial Scholarship in memory of an AEBC Pioneer
and valued Advisor
The AEBC National Achievement Scholarship
It is not necessary to submit separate applications, as applicants will be
considered for all scholarships for which they qualify.
CRITERIA
All scholarships are awarded on the basis of:
1. Academic excellence 40%;
2. Service to the community and extracurricular activities, especially service
to other groups and individuals with disadvantages including other persons
with disabilities 30%; and
3. Surmounting barriers in life (family, community, attitudinal, systemic,
educational, etc.) that have contributed to making the applicant the person
he/she is today 30%.
QUALIFICATIONS
All applicants must be:
Blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted
Canadian citizens or landed immigrants
Pursuing a post-secondary programme (college, university or vocational) in
the 2005-2006 academic year, with a full-time course load or at a 40%
course load when accompanied by an explanation. Students at
undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels are encouraged to apply.
Exchange students studying abroad under a legitimate exchange programme
and paying fees to a Canadian educational institution are also considered
eligible, as are students who may choose to study abroad for compelling
reasons such as lack of a similar programme in Canada, failure to be
accepted into a programme in Canada, or the clear superiority of a
programme abroad.
MEMBERSHIP
The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians is an organization dedicated to
creating opportunity for all persons who are blind, deaf-blind or partially
sighted. Scholarship recipients need not be members of the Alliance for
Equality of Blind Canadians, but membership and involvement in the
organization is strongly encouraged. Membership information can be found
on our website at: http://www.blindcanadians.ca/
AWARDS
The Scholarship Committee reviews all applications and selects the
scholarship recipients. These recipients will be notified of their selection by
December 15, 2005. Scholarship monies will be sent to the recipients no
later than December 31, 2005.
DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED
1. Application form including GPA
Applicants are not required to submit a transcript of their marks. Instead,
they are required to obtain a current or most recent (if not in school
currently) academic Grade Point Average, calculated in percent (e.g.
85%), from their academic institution and note this clearly on their
application form.
2. Personal Letter
In addition to the application form, applicants are required to provide a
letter describing themselves, including such information as background
on their visual condition, any additional medical or disability
information, onset of blindness or loss of vision. Applicants should
answer the question: “What barriers or obstacles have you faced and
conquered in your life, as a result of your disability?” Applicants should
also discuss their academic goals, interests, hobbies, school and
community activities, work experience, vocational goals and service to
their community, particularly as this pertains to service to other persons
with disabilities such as blindness, deaf-blindness or partial sight.
3. Reference Letter
Applicants are also required to submit one current letter of reference
(written in the last 12 months) from an individual who can comment in
some detail on their academic progress, personal strengths, community
involvement and any other aspects of their life in support of their
application. The individual can be, for example, an employer/supervisor,
clergy, Academic Advisor, Department Head, Academic Planner, etc.
This reference letter should be forwarded together with the application
package.
4. Declaration
Applicants will be asked to confirm, in a declaration at the end of the
application form, that the information they have provided is correct and
true to the best of their knowledge.
HOW TO APPLY
The deadline for scholarship submissions is October 15, 2005. Please take
advantage of our online application form, which can be found at:
http://www.BlindCanadians.ca/programs/scholarship2005.php
If not applying online, keep in mind that Scholarship Committee members
may be blind, deaf-blind or partially sighted. Please forward the attached
application form, personal letter and letter of reference in one of the
following file formats: plain or rich text, Microsoft Word, Word Perfect,
Excel, or in the body of an email to: scholarship@blindcanadians.ca If
submission of an application in an accessible electronic format is not
possible (inaccessible formats include PDF and jpg files), please contact us
either by email at the same address or by phone at (800) 561-4774 to discuss
alternatives. We would be happy to answer any questions regarding
accessibility before you send your application.
Please note that incomplete applications, as well as any applications
(complete, incomplete, or parts of applications) received after October 15
will not be considered for scholarship awards.
Scholarship recipients will be required to provide their Social Insurance
Number when they accept their award.
REAPPLICATION
Previous applicants and recipients are eligible to reapply.
Text Box: Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians
Scholarship Application Form
Please email completed scholarship application forms and documentation to
scholarship@blindcanadians.ca unless otherwise discussed with the
Scholarship Committee.
Or complete the application form online at:
http://www.BlindCanadians.ca/programs/scholarship2005.php
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Name:
Street Address:
City: Province: Postal Code:
Home Phone:
Other Phone:
Email Address:
EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION
Name of School or Institution Currently Being Attended:
Street Address:
City: Province: Postal Code:
Name of School or Institution You Plan to Begin Attending in the 20052006 Academic Year (if different from your current School/Institution):
Your Vocational Goal:
Major (if applicable):
GPA of Current Academic Year or Most Recent Year of Attendance at an
Academic Institution (required):
CHECKLIST
In order for applications to be considered complete, all of the
documents/information listed below must be included; incomplete
applications will not be considered:
* Application Form (including GPA);
* Personal Letter (outlining such information as vision and medical
background, goals, interests, barriers, community activities etc. See
"Documentation Required" for more details);
* Letter of Reference (from the last 12 months).
PRIVACY
The Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians (AEBC) is committed to
protecting the privacy, confidentiality, accuracy, and security of any
personal information that we collect, use, retain and disclose in the course of
the programmes we offer. If you have any questions about protecting your
personal privacy or our privacy policy, please feel free to contact our
Compliance Officer by calling: (1 800) 561-4774 or by email at:
info@blindcanadians.ca
I hereby certify that the information I have provided is correct and true to the
best of my knowledge.
Name:
Date:
Note: Applications must be received no later than October 15, 2005
NEW RESOURCES
Canadian Study on Deaf-Blindness: The Canadian National Society of the
Deaf-Blind has released the results of the first national demographic study
on deaf-blindness. This study’s purpose was to document demographics,
accessible services and resources, commentaries on the present condition
and future direction re this disability. Visit: http://www.cnsdb.ca/
Diabetes Guide: A new guide for seniors who have Type 2 diabetes, or want
to avoid developing it, has been released by a group called Canadian
Pensioners Concerned. For individuals or small groups, the guide is in large
print and is free of technical jargon. Details are available at the CPC website
at www.canpension.ca or by phone at 1-888-384-8884.
Preventing Falls: For Canadians 65 or older, falls in the home are the leading
cause of injury. For tips on reducing the risk of falls on stairs, call the
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) at 1-800-668-2642 and
ask for a free copy of the About Your House fact sheet, "Preventing Falls on
Stairs", or download a copy from CMHC's website at: http://www.cmhc.ca
Courses from Hadley: The Hadley School for the Blind, which offers free,
distance education courses in alternative formats, has recently developed the
following courses:
“Safety in the Home” explores ways you can protect yourself, your family
and your home. It also covers emergency and disaster planning. It is offered
in large print, braille, audiocassette and online to North Americans.
“Learning Through Play” is available in large print and online, and explores
the necessity of play and toys for a blind child’s growth and development.
The Food Series, which consists of four mini-courses (Meat, Poultry and
Fish; Eggs and Dairy Products; Fruits and Vegetables; Grains and Sweets),
cover the selection, storage, serving and nutrient value of foods, as well as
suggesting adaptive techniques and tips for food-related tasks. A fifth
course, “A Social Perspective”, describes how food enhances entertainment.
These food courses may be taken separately or as part of the series and all
are available in large print, braille and on audiocassette.
For more information or to order one of these courses, contact Student
Services at (800) 526-9909, email studentservices@hadley.edu or visit:
http://www.hadley.edu
Cookbook: Blindskills, Inc., publisher of Dialogue Magazine, offers
“Connie's Kitchen”, a compilation of recipes and tips written by a former
Dialogue columnist. The book is available in braille and large print for $20
(U.S.) per copy. For more information or to order, call 800-860-4224, email
blindskl@teleport.com or visit: http://www.blindskills.com
Product Email List: A Canadian email list for buying/selling/trading
products of interest to persons who are blind or vision-impaired has been
created. To subscribe, visit
http://www.screenreview.org/mailman/listinfo/bstcanada or send an email
with only the word “subscribe” in the message's body to: bstcanadarequest@screenreview.org
Auction Site for Blindness Products: If you are looking to buy or sell either
new or used blindness or low vision products, visit:
http://www.ocutrade.com
Consumer Review/Discussion Website: The VIP Consumer has launched a
website offering consumer reviews and discussion from a vision-impaired
perspective. Visit: http://www.vipconsumer.com
Software Reviews: For information on how well mainstream programs work
with assistive technology, tips on making your favourite program work even
better, or to write and submit your own review, visit the software review
page at: http://www.accesswatch.info/review.php