[nabs-l] More Ideas Needed for my Research Project

[Arielle Silverman]

Hi all,
As I've mentioned here a few times, i'm doing a research project for
my Ph.D. dissertation investigating how disability simulations affect
nondisabled people's attitudes toward people with disabilities. In the
experiment I'm developing now, we want to compare a standard blindness
simulation (where people put on sleepshades and have to do some basic
tasks) with an enhanced simulation where people learn very basic
nonvisual techniques for handling the tasks. We want to show people in
the enhanced simulation condition that the tasks are more manageable
with the nonvisual techniques, and see if that makes them more able to
appreciate the adjustment that real blind people experience through
time and training. We need ideas for simple tasks that sighted people
could do blindfolded by using a nonvisual method that they can learn
fast without much practice. For example, one of our tasks is pouring a
glass of water as full as possible without spilling; in the enhanced
simulation condition, we will teach the participants to use their
finger as a guide to know when the glass is full. We also want to
incorporate some very basic cane travel and teach participants to
either use a sound cue (i.e. a fan) as a navigational aid, count doors
on one side of the hallway, or both. Can any of you think of a third
task that's (a) possible but tough to do blindfolded and (b) possible
to do better with a nonvisual technique that's simple and easy to
learn?
Thanks!
Arielle