[nabs-l] Training: As needed, or all at once?

[Ashley Bramlett]

Hi Jim,

This is my opinion and  I will be in the minority and hope not to be 
attacked.  If your vision is stable and you
can function well with print and other visual skills, then don't do training 
now.  Yes its a lot of time  and effort on your part to learn skills you'll 
likely never need.

Some visually impaired people I know never learn braille and they do well; 
they are successful at work.

NFB centers imerse you in nonvisual skills and you are blindfolded.  Does 
your state offer a state rehab center?  Often state centers allow you to use 
low vision techniques and use nonvisual ones as needed.  What state do you 
live in?  You may consider a state center where you can choose what you need 
rather than a nfb center first.
So I think if your vision is stable there is no need to go for blindness 
training now.  I commend your decission to learn to use a cane. Many high 
partials like yourself never try it.  Learning and using a cane will not 
only help you travel better but it will identify your visual impairment and 
eliminate the need to explain sometimes.  I have usable vision although not 
as much as you.  We both have tunnel vision.  So I've always used visual and 
nonvisual techniques to function.

Ashley