[nabs-l] Exclusion of blind persons with secondary disabilities

[Marty James]

I agree, I am a blind person in a state that told me that I have to go to 
either the state blind rehab or the regular rehab, I could not utilize both 
services. Now that I am also an amputee with prosthetic problems, I feel 
that I should be able to use both services. It so happens that I am getting 
the help that I needed but I still think that one issue should not take away 
from the other issue or either issue take away from the whole person's 
opportunities.
Marty

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Reed" <jim275_2 at yahoo.com>
To: "NABS mail list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, May 24, 2009 11:11 PM
Subject: [nabs-l] Exclusion of blind persons with secondary disabilities


Hello all,

I have mixed feeling about bringing this to your attention, but after some 
consideration I desided to do so. This post is in reference to the post I 
sent earlier titled "New Opportunity for Youth who are Blind or Visually 
Impaired: An Online Employment Preperation Program." In that post, I 
forwarded a program description for a an Online
Employment Preparation Program specificly for blind people that is offered 
by The Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision, Mississippi 
State
University. Unfoutunatly, this program excludeds blind persons with 
signifigant secondary disabilities. For your convenience, I have copied and 
pasted the relivant section from the program description:

"Specific requirements for participation include:

* Legal blindness or more severe visual impairment
* Blindness as the primary disability, without additional significant
disabilities ..."

I had mixed feelings about bringing this to your attention because this 
program is clearly trying to do good for the blind community; yet at the 
same time they are discriminating against blind persons with secondary 
disabilities. I'm sure the program's director has perfectly rational, valid, 
and legitimate reasons for excluding these individuals, but I think he/she 
is wrong, regardless of the rational.

I think a friendly letter from NABS may be justified.

Thoughts?
Jim

Homer Simpson's brain: "Use reverse psychology."
 Homer: "Oh, that sounds too complicated."
 Homer's brain: "Okay, don't use reverse psychology."
 Homer: "Okay, I will!"



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