[blindkid] RFB&D fundraising

[Michele Chauvin]

Below is an email from Mary Alexander, Cooper's mom.  She also works with RFB&D.  Sounds like she is willing to address any concerns others have regarding thier services and how they compliment rather than compete with Braille.

As a sighted person, I often use auditory formats for learning: audio books, TV, movies, etc.  If all I saw were videos of everything without any audio, I would learn very little about anything.  Reading with my eyes is not the only way I gather information.

Likewise, my daughter, who is blind due prematurity, also learns in various ways.  She is learning to read and write Braille at her own pace, and I will never let up on that goal.  However, she also enjoys listening to audio books.  Not anything RFB&D, yet, but things like Dr. Seuss stories or fairytales on CD.  I believe it enhances her experience and understanding of stories, as she does not have the luxury (at this point) of a vivid imagination.  One has to have real life experiences to create such a thing.  One also has to have the capacity for this creativity.  I believe it's important to remember that blind individuals come in all kinds of packages, just like sighted folks.  Sighted folks are as varied in interests and abilities as snowflakes, or so they say.  So are blind folks.
 Michele Chauvin 



----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Leslie and Mary Alexander <alexander5 at ntin.net>
To: Michele Chauvin <michelechauvin at yahoo.com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 17, 2009 8:08:21 AM
Subject: RE: RFB&D


Michele:
 
Cooper is a very strong Braille reader and learned his contractions in record time by listening to a book and reading the contracted Braille book at the same time.  
 
Anyone who knows Cooper realizes that he is an extremely bright young man, but he has fine motor issues.  When he was younger, Braille would really tax him to the point of exhaustion.  The audio texts and novels helped him not fall behind his classmates.  RFB&D is one of many tools, not the only one.  As is Braille not the only tool in his toolbox!  It is his most important one, but not the only one.  He is using a Braille keyboard now with the computer, and having great success, but he also uses the regular keyboard, does the regular keyboard “detract” from his Braille?
 
Feel free to share my comments with anyone you choose.  There are always those that would criticize what they are not familiar with or don’t understand.  RFB&D is available to students with vision impairments that read Braille if they choose that route.  Once those students enter college, getting your college texts in Braille and keeping up with the vast amount of reading will become harder, and RFB&D is valuable in that regard.  Thru conferences across the country I have met many professionals who are blind; they have all used RFB&D at some point, and are complimentary of our services.  Please post my email address:  malexander at rfbd.org for anyone who would like to ask questions about RFB&D.  Thank you for your help in clearing up any misunderstanding.
 
Mary Alexander