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

[Jess]

Jedi and all.
I forgot to mention that the training program I went through in 2001 was a 
total of six months. From July to August they did a college-prep program 
which for me just ended up being a waste of time because I would have been 
going into my second year at the major community college in Salt Lake 
although I was still considered a freshman.
>From August to December was the traditional blindness training program.
Before the program I had attended a summer camp for the blind and visually 
impaired were they taught us the blindness skills stuff that we weren't 
getting during the school year because of the time constrains of the 
teacher's of the blind or visually impaired.
Jessica
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jedi" <loneblindjedi at samobile.net>
To: <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 11:12 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training: As needed, or all at once?


> Colleagues:
>
> I am a graduate of the Louisiana center for the Blind, one of the NFB's 
> three training centers. I have partial vision. I have been trained in two 
> methods of blindness. In grade school, I used a duel-media system that 
> attempted to give equal time to vision and non-vision. This training was 
> not intensive; it was done in chunks. After high school, I went to the LCB 
> to learn non-visual skills specifically and intensively. These are my 
> findings.
>
> Low vision is hardly stable. Your eye doctor may say that your condition 
> is stable, but it really isn't. At least, not in the functional sense. Not 
> only does low vision change with the environment, but it can change over 
> time simply via the aging process. For that reason, it's never a bad idea 
> to learn non-visual techniques to prepare for the future and also to be 
> ready for times when the environment makes it tough to use your vision 
> efficiently. Environmental changes might include changes in lighting, the 
> difusion of lighting, contrast, visual clutter, chromatic difference (the 
> use of color), and the position of objects (are they in your field of 
> view?). The social environment may also inhibit the use of your vision. 
> for example, you may be able to read large print, but having a book in 
> front of your nose makes giving a speech a real problem. You may be use a 
> CCTV, but you can't take a CCTV everywhere with you unless you use a 
> portable magnifier (which is often  more expensive than braile or asking 
> someone to read something to you). Even then, portible magnification has 
> its limits: the more magnification you need, the less you can see in terms 
> of actual area. The same goes for monoculars and other low vision 
> techniques.
>
> Non-visual techniques are more likely to work in a variety of areas at any 
> given time. You can read Braille in just about any environment (except 
> where it's wet). A cane and orientation skills will take care of any 
> changes to the visual environment as you travel. Tactile exploration 
> skills can help you navigate gracefully when searching for something. 
> While all of these techniques are unusual compared to how sighted people 
> do things, they allow a visually impaired person to stay on top of things.
>
> Let me move on to blindness agencies and training. Most blindness agencies 
> prefer a vision first approach. The goal here is to maximize low vision 
> and insert blindness techniques where necessary. There are two major 
> issues here, and I've experienced both under this approach. The first is 
> that your vision may change and you'll be forced to retrain. You may also 
> find that your non-visual skills may not be prepared to the extent to 
> which a situation may compromise your vision. In other words, you may know 
> how to use a screen magnifier with some speech. But what if you encounter 
> a web site where the visual elements are too hard to handle visually? A 
> screen reader may be useful here, but you've not been trained in screen 
> reader use since your training has focused primarily on your vision. For 
> most of us, simply not completing the task won't cut it.
>
> The opposite approach is a blindness first approach. Here, non-visual 
> techniques are stressed and low vision fills in the gaps where it's either 
> natural or necessary. When I say natural, I mean to say that you don't 
> have to strain to see something. For example, I may be walking with a cane 
> and all my blindness techniques in active use. But if I can see a poll, 
> I'm certainly going to avoid it. However, if I don't see the poll, my 
> active blindness techniques will certainly keep me from hitting it. 
> another example. If I've dropped a paper and can see it, there's no rule 
> that says I can't use my vision to pick it up. However, if I have to turn 
> my head in a number of contortions just to search for it, it may be 
> easier, less stressful, and more efficient to search for it using 
> non-visual skills. When I say "necessary," I speak of those occasions 
> where something isn't nonvisually accessible but can be if your vision is 
> sufficient for the task. for example, if your computer isn't talking and 
> you have no other way to figure out why, low vision may be useful in 
> getting some answers.
>
> A blindness first approach prevents the need for retraining. In the case 
> of those who ordinarily read print, there's no reason why you can't still 
> do so. Learning Braille is still an option when print won't work for some 
> reason. If you're worried about losing the skill, set aside some time each 
> night and read your favorite book in Braille to maintain the skill. That 
> way, it will be around when you really need it. those low vision persons 
> who use Braille and print often say they're glad to have learned Braille 
> even if they don't use it as often as others do.
>
> I have been trained under both vision first and blindness first 
> approaches. I personally got more out of the blindness first approach than 
> the vision first approach. I consider myself to be more versitle now that 
> i have the blindness approach down. The blindness first approach also 
> teaches other transferable skils that have nothing to do with blindness 
> specifically such as problem solving, resourcefulness, mapping and spacial 
> awareness, cooking, technology, and even social skills. More important, I 
> realized that blindness really isn't a handicap to living life. A vision 
> first approach often misses this all important truth because of the 
> higherarchy of sight (to have some sight is better than to have none). 
> With a blindness first approach, we're confronted immediately with our 
> misconceptions, as well as those of others. We are called upon to deal 
> with them head on and are therefore able to surpass them.
>
> As for training length and intensity, it is better to train all at once 
> because more concentrated time is spent in each subject. This 
> concentration and intensity of time means that you're more likely to 
> remember what you learn because you have to use it more often. I train 
> students to use computers. Those I intensively train get the material 
> faster and more efficiently than those I train less often. They are also 
> more likely to use and retain the skill afterward. My non-intensive vision 
> first approach took me twelve years. My intensive blindness first approach 
> training only took six months. I only had to go through intensive training 
> once (that's six months). Those who go through chunked training may have 
> to spread their training out over time which will definitely mean more 
> training time in the long-run.
>
> In general, intensive training in blindness means access to positive blind 
> role models who can mentor you during off hours while you're having fun. 
> Many times, these experiences prove more powerful than the training 
> itself. those who go through non-intensive training (often in their 
> community) don't have access to blind role models and so they remain 
> isolated during this critical time.
>
> Finally, I want to put something to rest. The blindness first approach 
> doesn't force anyone to do anything. If you attend a center that uses 
> sleep shades, a particular kind of cane, a particular teaching method, or 
> a particular philosophy, then you have chosen to use these methods. You 
> can't force the willing. The NfB centers are optional. People are there 
> because they want to be, not because they are forced to be. If you feel 
> like you're being forced, then you haven't exercised informed choice. 
> Choose a different center that has the methods you want. Just choose 
> wisely. I find it rather ironic and quite revealing that we never hear of 
> centers forcing participants to use low vision, but we certainly hear of 
> centers forcing students to use blindness techniques. Just a thought.
>
> Respectfully,
> Jedi
>
>
> Original message:
>> Ashley and Jim.
>> I've attended a state run training center in Utah in 2001 and although I
>> have significant usable vision to where I'm considered legally blind I 
>> did
>> have to wear a blindfold in at at least one of the classes that I took. 
>> It
>> was the Adaptive Daily Living Skills  because the instructor was trying 
>> to
>> make it a level playing field for the totally blind people in the group. 
>> I
>> also got out of doing O&M because I basically told them that I didn't 
>> need
>> it during the day which was the time that it was being done. I also said 
>> to
>> them I need  O&ME training more at night because that's when I have a 
>> harder
>> time traveling. The only other time I was forced to use the blindfold was 
>> in
>> a Braille class. Pretty much all the other classes I didn't have to use 
>> the
>> blindfold. Now, a Staunchly NFB member is now in charge of running the
>> training program.  I know the person who runs it now because he was one 
>> of
>> the assistive technology trainers at the center.
>> Jessica
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Monday, May 11, 2009 6:03 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training: As needed, or all at once?
>
>
>>> 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
>
>
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>
>
>
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