[Cabs-talk] Fw: [nabs-l] FW: [Nfb-history] Fw: [stylist] Part 2- History of longcane and theblind

Tue Dec 9 00:30:01 UTC 2008

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>; "'Parents of Blind Children State Presidents List'" 
<pobc-presidents at nfbnet.org>; "'NFB Junior Science Academy Support List'" 
<jsa-parents at nfbnet.org>; "'Professionals in Blindness Education Division 
List'" <pibe-division at nfbnet.org>; "'National Association of Blind Students 
mailing list'" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 6:13 AM
Subject: [nabs-l] FW: [Nfb-history] Fw: [stylist] Part 2- History of 
longcane and theblind


> History of the cane part two...thanks again Robert!
>
>
>
> Carrie Gilmer, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
> NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
> Home Phone: 763-784-8590
> carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfb-history-bounces at nfbnet.org 
> [mailto:nfb-history-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Robert Jaquiss
> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 9:23 PM
> To: NFB History Support List
> Subject: [Nfb-history] Fw: [stylist] Part 2- History of long cane and
> theblind
>
> Hello:
>
>     Here is the second article on this subject. Not sure why the first
> article was assembled from six pieces.
>
> Regards,
>
> Robert Jaquiss
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Robert Newman" <newmanrl at cox.net>
> To: "'NFBnet Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:37 PM
> Subject: [stylist] Part 2- History of long cane and the blind
>
>
>> Here is Jeff Altman's article which was published in the
>> "Encyclopedia of Disability 2008."
>>
>>
>> Headword#857
>> Jeff Altman
>> Mar. 08
>>
>> Long Canes
>>
>> The use of a cane or a long staff as an adaptive tool for independent
>> travel
>> by the BLIND has been documented throughout much of history.
>> Traditionally,
>> the "long cane" is so named because it is much longer than the orthopedic
>> cane; when held vertically, it often reaches to the middle of the chest,
>> or
>> to the height between the individual's chin and nose. Long canes are 
>> often
>> referred to as "white canes" but they are not always the same. The latter
>> refers to any cane that is white in color (sometimes with a red tip) and
>> has
>> primarily been viewed as a means of identifying blind persons so that 
>> they
>> might receive assistance and additional consideration from the normally
>> sighted public. This traditional view of the cane's coloring continues to
>> be
>> held by many members of the public, but among blind Americans the long
>> white
>> cane increasingly has become a symbol of independence. Changes in long
>> came
>> technology, usage, and instruction reflect the changing history of blind
>> people.
>> In the colonial period canes were usually made of wood or bamboo,
>> although even steel was sometimes used in spite of the disadvantages
>> created
>> by this material's weight. Often these canes were hand-made by blind
>> persons
>> themselves, their family members, or by local artisans. These early canes
>> usually reflected the individual user's needs, preferences, and
>> experiences
>> interacting with the environment.
>> With the industrial revolution in the 1800s, manufactured canes designed
>> to
>> meet the needs of persons with orthopedic disabilities became more 
>> common,
>> and often blind persons adopted these for their own use. The availability
>> and abundance of well-made canes promoted this choice, but other
>> motivations
>> influenced blind people's decisions to use these kinds of canes.  The 
>> long
>> staff, in spite of its many advantages as a travel tool, carried the
>> symbolic and centuries-old STIGMA associated with blind beggars. Less
>> conspicuous, orthopedic canes enabled some blind people to "pass" as less
>> disabled.
>> Historically, the manner in which blind persons used the cane varied from
>> one individual to another, and most blind travelers developed their own
>> cane
>> techniques, although throughout history blind persons commonly have 
>> shared
>> their knowledge with one another. In the late 1800s, some European 
>> schools
>> began developing formalized training for independent travel by the blind,
>> which in most cases did not specifically address the effective use of the
>> cane.  In the United States, such training was commonly presented by a
>> member of the teaching staff at residential schools for the blind. 
>> Usually
>
>> a
>> blind Physical Fitness instructor introduced use of the cane and basic
>> travel techniques to students in the weeks just before graduation.
>> World War II contributed to the rise of standardized methods for using 
>> the
>> cane as a tool for independent travel as many blinded veterans returned
>> from
>> the battlefields. Dr. Richard Hoover of the Valley Forge Army Hospital is
>> credited with first introducing a longer cane specifically designed to
>> meet
>> the needs of non-visual travel, and to standardize an effective technique
>> for the use of the long cane. When held vertically, Hoover's cane reached
>> roughly to the middle of the individual's chest. The "two point touch," 
>> or
>> "two tap," technique he developed involved arcing the cane evenly across
>> the
>> traveler's body, opposite of the person's footsteps, so that the cane
>> clears
>> effectively for obstacles ahead, allowing the person time to react.
>> These conventional canes have changed little in their design since the
>> 1940s. They have been commonly made of aluminum, although with the
>> development of lighter weight, more durable materials, fiberglass or
>> carbon
>> fiber have become more common. Designed for the purpose of independent
>> non-visual travel, their length is usually determined by factors such as
>> the
>> individual's height, length of stride, and personal preferences for
>> successfully interacting with the environment. One exception is the
>> different types of cane tips.  Early developers and users recognized that
>> canes wore down over time from the friction created when it contacted the
>> ground, or  became stuck on surfaces such as concrete. Early cane tips
>> were
>> only slightly larger in diameter than the cane shaft and either made of
>> metal or nylon. Beginning in the 1980s, new types of cane tips were
>> developed to address problems caused by sidewalk cracks and changes in
>> techniques.
>> Other cane styles trace their development to the mid to late 1950s and 
>> the
>> organized blindness movement, specifically from the efforts of  the
>> NATIONAL
>> FEDERATION OF THE BLIND. These canes emerged from the collective 
>> knowledge
>> of blind persons themselves. These canes tend to be longer and lighter,
>> with
>> tapered, hollow, semi flexible, fiberglass shafts; they also have metal
>> tips
>> designed to produce superior auditory and tactile information that aids
>> the
>> traveler with echolocation and recognizing changes in surfaces.
>> Since World War II, two significantly different models for instruction in
>> non-visual independent travel skills have emerged. Clinical settings, 
>> most
>> predominantly associated with Dr. Richard Hoover's pioneering work,
>> defined
>> one approach. Clinical proponents identified with the MEDICAL MODEL 
>> coined
>> the term "Orientation and Mobility."  This term refers to instruction 
>> that
>> assists the blind person to learn techniques that allow him or her to
>> remain
>> oriented, while moving safely through the environment.
>> Building  from the medical and military training models of the 1940s
>> Conventional Orientation and Mobility  instructors tend to view their 
>> role
>> similarly to that of an occupational therapist, seeking ways to reduce 
>> the
>> blind person's level of dependency by enhancing the use of their 
>> remaining
>> vision, and introducing non-visual techniques only where necessary. Under
>> this model, expertise is considered  the intellectual property of the
>> professional instructors, who are wholly responsible for the safety of
>> their
>> students, lessons are presented in a set sequence of steps formulated by
>> experts in the field, and reinforced with students through repetition and
>> interaction with the instructor. Because of this instructional approach,
>> and
>> the belief that independent travel for the blind is complex, difficult,
>> and
>> potentially dangerous, for many years professionals in this model
>> considered it ineffective and unsafe for blind persons to enter the 
>> field.
>> As a result, the certification process associated with conventional
>> Orientation and Mobility resisted providing certification to qualified
>> blind
>> and visually impaired instructors until well after the enactment of the
>> 1990
>> AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT.
>> The other model for instruction in non-visual travel skills resulted from
>> the organized blindness movement and was based upon the collective
>> knowledge
>> of blind persons themselves. Beginning in 1958 Dr. KENNETH JERNIGAN
>> developed this model, building from the philosophical approach of the
>> National Federation of the Blind that generated a consumer-driven model 
>> of
>> rehabilitation for the blind. In this model, often referred to as the
>> "Iowa
>> model," the instructor's role is to assist the student to develop a 
>> highly
>> functional non-visual understanding of the environment and personal
>> expertise with non-visual travel.  In other words, the body of knowledge,
>> and the locus of control, are as quickly as possible transferred from the
>> instructor to the student. This model has since been defined within the
>> framework of "cognitive learning theory," through the work of Richard
>> Mettler in 1995 and As a result, this model of Orientation and Mobility 
>> is
>> commonly referred to as "Structured Discovery. This approach now also
>> offers
>> a university level program for instructor preparation and certification.
>> Changes in cane use and the educational practices for cane usage reflect
>> larger historical progressions in disability history. The history of the
>> long cane demonstrates the powerful links between adaptive devices,
>> rehabilitation, medical and social interpretations of blindness, as well
>> as
>> ACTIVISM, COMMUNITY, and EMPOWERMENT.
>>
>> Jeff Altman
>>
>>
>> See also  ASSISTIVE DEVICES AND ADAPTIVE TECHNOLOGY
>>
>> Further Reading
>> Hill, P. and P. Ponder. Orientation And Mobility, A Guide For The
>> Practitioner. New York, American Foundation For The Blind, 1976.
>> Jernigan, K. "The Nature Of Independence: An Address Delivered To The
>> National Convention Of: The National Federation Of The Blind." Dallas,
>> Texas, July 6, 1993.
>> Kozel, R.  "The History Of O&M." Blinded Veterans Association Bulletin,
>> 1997
>> Mettler R. "The cognitive paradigm for teaching cane travel :Orientation
>> and
>> Mobility for Blind People." American Rehabilitation 23, no. 3
>> (Autumn-Winter
>> 1997): 18-23.
>> Olson, C. On The Use Of The Blindfold. Lincoln NE: Nebraska Department of
>> Public Institutions, Division of Rehabilitation Services for the Visually
>> Impaired, 1982.
>> Morais, M. E.,  P. Lorensen, R. Allen,  E. C.Bell, A. Hill, and E. Woods.
>> Techniques Used By Blind Cane Travel Instructors, A Practical Approach,
>> Learning, Teaching, Believing. Baltimore, The National Federation of the
>> Blind, 1997.
>>
>> President NFB Writers' Division
>> Robert Leslie Newman
>> Email- newmanrl at cox.net
>> Division Website-
>> Http://www.nfb-writers-division.org
>>
>>
>>
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