[nabs-l] New Technology and Blindness

Wed May 4 16:26:42 UTC 2011

Kirt,

I think the bottom line for me is this: can I do what I need to do in a 
manner that's convenient for me and everyone else around me? Goes back 
to that "Nature of Independence," doesn't it? You're right that not 
every technology is going to be accessible to us and that we will have 
to make work-arounds. No problem. We could say, going back to our "If 
the world went sighted" discussion, that if nothing else, blindness 
does encourage the development of problem-solving skills. Most of the 
time, getting help, if that's what's needed, is perfectly acceptable 
and sometimes easier or more convenient. For example, I personally find 
that I'd rather be checked in by a human than the touchscreens because 
it seems to me that touchscreen kiosks are kind of complicated (not the 
technology, but the systems they run on) when it may be just as easy to 
have an agent (or easier) check me in. And for now, that's fine given 
that many airlines still have agents that can do that for anyone. But 
for those airlines that don't even have agents, that's a problem. Sure, 
you could work around it by checking in online (and that's probably not 
a bad idea), but you may have instances where that is not possible for 
whatever reason. So it really is inconvenient to the self and others to 
track down the help you need and then find a way to get rid of them 
politely so you can go about your business and let them get back to 
theirs. the same issue goes for grocery lines.

Here's where I draw the line though. I, generally speaking, refuse to 
allow anyone to help me at an ATM unless I absolutely know they can be 
trusted. There are few people I would entrust with this task, and none 
of them are members of my family. I have had a bad experience with 
someone who helped me: my sister stole money from my bank account when 
she helped me with an aTM. Long story short, i became very wary of 
assistance in this matter. So for things like that, I believe it's a 
right of privacy that's at stake here, and everyone ought to have to 
have that right whether they belong to the majority or not. Same with 
voting. I personally prefer the privacy that comes with an accessible 
vote than entrusting my vote to someone who may or may not agree with 
me acting as a reader. If everyone else in the country has the right to 
a private vote, so do I. Now, if I choose to have someone read my 
ballot to me anyway, that's my choice, but I still have that right to 
privacy thanks to the HAVA.

Does any of this make sense?

Respectfully,
Jedi

Original message:
> To all,
>   Here's my take...and, because I enjoy being an argumentative pain in
> the neck, I'm going to enjoy this.  :)  But before I start, I want to
> make it perfectly clear that I'm absolutely for the Technology Bill of
> Rights, making new technology accessible ought to be a legal right,
> and we are at a disadvantage when technology, like the touch screens
> Ashley mentioned are being put in store checkout lines, is used.
>   But we need to remember we are a minority and the majority of the
> population shouldn't bend over backwards to accomodate us.  While
> having all new technology come to us perfectly accessible is a
> laudable goal, it's probably never going to totally be realized.
> Should we have the right?  Absolutely.  Will we ever have it totally?
> Probably not...even with the Technology bill of rights, this dream of
> Universal Design will probably never be totally realized.  That
> doesn't mean we don't work towards it-it just means we need to learn
> how to live in a world where there are inconveniences we have to deal
> with.  We may have to stand in lines instead of using the independent
> self checkout-deal with it.  We may need to get a reader if our
> textbooks aren't accessible-too bad.  We may need to get assistance
> using keosks in the airport-I'm terribly sorry, that's life.  e maybe
> might even have to go with a trusted family member or friend when
> using an ATM...what a terrible tragedy!  I can't believe we're so
> mistreated, abused, ignored, neglected, forgotten, and treated like
> crap by the rest of the evil sighted world that doesn't even give a
> damn about us!  Life is aweful!  This new technology isn't
> accessible-woe is me, we're
> dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomed!  Noone even
> cares about us!  This is a terrible, terrible, no-good world we live
> in, because we need to get people to help us use touch
> screens...whatever are we going to do?
>   Now of course that was an exhageration, and I certainly want
> technology to be accessible.  But rather than spend so much time
> complaining about it, let's do our best to get around the
> inaccessibility and live our lives!  I'm all for pushing to make this
> new technology independently usable...but it's probably never going to
> totally happen, deal with it.  There will always be inconveniences and
> annoyences associated with being blind-get used to it.  The world will
> never perfectly cater to our every whim, get over it.
>   Warmest regards,
> Kirt

> On 5/2/11, humberto <humbertoa5369 at netzero.net> wrote:
>> Sorry, but your message came out blank: Subject: Re: [Nabs-l] New
>> Technology And blindness, sent on Sonday may 1, 2011 at 9:33 AM

>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
>> list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> Date sent: Sun, 01 May 2011 09:33:12 -0400
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] New Technology and Blindness

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