[nabs-l] Rehab Counselors, and ignorance of blindness

[Nicole B. Torcolini at Home]

Then you need to critique the process, not the person who is a part of it. 
The fact that she did not know what a PacMate was was probably beyond her 
control. No, that is not crazy, especially if she has never worked with 
people who are blind before. The things that are part of our every day 
lives--PacMates, BrailleNotes, embossers, screen readers, etc--are 
completely new to sighted people, and the training programs for councelors 
probably do not have enough information.
    Furthermore, Joshua, you really should consider how you state your 
feedback. I agree that you have many important and valid points, but, if 
phrased in the wrong way, certain people may start remembering your slightly 
harsh comments more than your other qualities.

Nicole

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joshua Lester" <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 8:08 AM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Rehab Counselors, and ignorance of blindness


>I don't know if it was a mistake.
> She's new, and she hasn't dealt with blind people before.
> This is her first time.
> I'll give her the benefit of the doubt, this time, but we need to make
> sure people know about the technology, so that Froidian slips like
> that don't happen.
> The Department of Social Services has taken over VR, for my state,
> which complecates the problem, though.
> Blessings, Joshua
>
> On 1/11/12, Anjelina <anjelinac26 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Joshua,
>> I don't mean any disrespect, but could it have been a mistake by your 
>> rehab
>> counselor?
>> At times I mix up words or call items by different names; I don't think 
>> this
>> is a matter of ignorance.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Joshua Lester
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:26 AM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> Subject: [nabs-l] Rehab Counselors, and ignorance of blindness
>>
>> Hi, it's Joshua Lester.
>> I'd like to discuss a topic, that has come up, in my life.
>> I was telling you, that I might receive a Pac Mate, from my Rehab office.
>> I'm not sure, if I told you, that my Rehab counselor slipped, and
>> called it a "Packman."
>> That's crazy, because I thought rehab counselors should, at least,
>> have some knowledge of assistive technology, for the blind, that
>> they're supposed to be assisting.
>> Has anyone had trouble in the past, with Rehab counselors, in regards to
>> this?
>> What can we do, to stop this ignorance from spreading, within the
>> state VR system?
>> Thanks, Joshua
>>
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>>
>> Anjelina
>>
>>
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