[nabs-l] Fwd: [nfbwatlk] What to do when you meet a sighted person

[Mike Mello]

>From the NFBW Talk listserv:
FUN stuff!!
--Mello

What To Do When You Meet A Sighted Person (Author Unknown) People who use 
their eyes to receive information about the world are called sighted people 
or "people who are sighted." Legal "sight" means any visual acuity greater 
then 20/200 in the better eye without correction or an angle of vision wider 
than 20 degrees. Sighted people enjoy rich full lives, working, playing, and 
raising families. They run businesses, hold public office, and teach your 
children! 

How do Sighted People Get Around? People who are sighted may walk or ride 
public transportation, but most choose to travel long distances by operating 
their own motor vehicles. They have gone through many hours of training to 
learn the "rules of the road" in order to further their independence. Once 
that road to freedom has been mastered, sighted people earn a legal 
classification and a "Driver's License" which allows them to operate a 
private vehicle safely and independently. 

How Do You Assist A Sighted Person? Sighted people are accustomed to viewing 
the world in visual terms. This means that in many situations, they will not 
be able to communicate orally and may resort to pointing or other gesturing. 

Subtle facial expressions may also be used to convey feelings in social 
situations. Calmly alert the sighted person to his surroundings by speaking 
slowly, in a normal tone of voice. Questions directed at the sighted person 
help focus attention back on the verbal rather than visual communication. 

At times, sighted people may need help finding things, especially when 
operating a motor vehicle. Your advance knowledge of routes and landmarks, 
particularly bumps in the road, tums, and traffic lights, will assist the 
"driver" in finding the way quickly and easily. Your knowledge of building 
layouts can also assist the sighted person in navigating complex shopping 
malls, and offices. Sighted people tend to be very proud and will not ask 
directly for assistance. Be gentle yet firm. 

How Do Sighted People Use Computers? The person who is sighted relies 
exclusively on visual information. His or her attention span fades quickly 
when reading long texts. Computer information is presented in a "Graphical 
User Interface" or GUI. Coordination of hands and eyes is often a problem 
for sighted people, so the computer mouse, a handy device that slides along 
the desk top, saves confusing keystrokes. With one button, the sighted 
person can move around his or her computer screen quickly and easily. People 
who are sighted are not accustomed to synthetic speech and may have great 
difficulty understanding even the clearest synthesizer. Be patient and 
prepared to explain many times how your computer equipment works. 

How Do Sighted People Read? Sighted people read through a system called 
"Print" this is a series of images drawn in a two dimensional plain. People 
who are sighted generally have a poorly developed sense of touch. Braille is 
completely foreign to the sighted person and he or she will take longer to 
learn the code and be severely limited by his or her existing visual senses. 

Sighted people cannot function well in low lighting conditions and are 
generally completely helpless in total darkness. Their homes are usually 
very brightly lit at great expense, as are businesses that cater to the 
sighted consumer. 

How Can I Support A Sighted Person? People who are sighted do not want your 
charity. They want to live, work, and play along with you. The best thing 
you can do to support sighted people in your community is to open yourself 
to their world. These Americans are vital contributing members to society. 
Take a sighted person to lunch today! 


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Michael J. Mello

mike at mello.com

(208) 301-0565