[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

Tue Nov 12 01:52:27 UTC 2013

Bridgit,
I know options are not as readily available. That is why I asked rj if this 
lady had looked at other options.
I am fully aware that options are scarce. In VA, you either go to the center 
or receive field training which is so infrequent that it will not help much.

I believe we need other options. If you have children or care for parents or 
something family related, its very hard to leave and go to training.

I wish there were more day centers for people to go to and then they can 
take care of business after training at night.
I think its terrible about the funding. Yes, I know that vr does not fund 
training for seniors and those with no employment goal.

In my state, we have terrible services for home based service.
You can go to the state residential center in richmond va.
But, if you cannot, or such center does not meet your needs,
little options exist. Every office has field staff, but their caseloads are 
way, way too high.
We have home based O&M and rehab teachers.
However, they  come so in frequently that little learning can occur.
I think a volunteer system is an excellent idea.
We actually have that for technology training. Those in the DC area meaning 
DC, northern VA, and MD
have the opportunity to partake in assistive technology training at the 
Martin Luther
King library in DC on G street. But this means they have to have 
transportation there and be willing to get out of the house which some newly 
blind people are not able or willing to do and if you're sick, well that is 
an issue too.
So, those who can go to the MLK library can participate in volunteer 
assistive tech training.
They can learn jaws, Zoomtext, braille notetakers, scanners, and talking 
book players.
Additionally, the MLK library offers a IOS training on certain tuesdays.
You can have training on the apple devices or even android now. Android is 
very new and they have few volunteers for that.

If that wasn't enough, the MLK library also offers technology camps for 
youth, or at least they used to.
They offer a braille book club on one Saturday a month. Also, they offer 
seminars on technology and recreation for those who are hearing impaired or 
vision impaired; separate seminars since our needs are different and these 
are free.
I am quite upset that funding is not available for services from the dc 
lighthouse in my county, yet in the next county it is.
I want to partake in some advanced computer training from the columbia 
lighthouse for the blind.
But no funding is covered in my area and it would leave me paying out of 
pocket.

I wish more volunteer programs existed like at MLK library for other areas 
of life like teaching braille.
Totally good points. I'm glad you
healed and were able to attend the iowa center.

Ashley
-----Original Message----- 
From: Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Monday, November 11, 2013 5:20 PM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

Ashley,

The options aren't as readily available as you present here. This is a
major obstacle for pretty much all training centers, and this includes
the NFB centers.

Bottom line, if you can't attend in-house training, or at least attend
as a day student every day for the duration of the 6 to 9 months, most
are out of luck. And finding a two-day or weekend program isn't enough
to teach the skills. These are just introductory programs to allow
people the opportunity to see what training would be like. And other
institutions aren't equipped to provide the kind of home training you
suggest or even offer day programs.

The biggest issue is funding, and a little secret, the government
doesn't want to pay for training for seniors or stay-at-home parents or
the sick because they are determined unemployable, and therefore will
not put money back into the system. This is the reality for any agency
working with people with disabilities.

Bridgit
Message: 15
Date: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 12:18:55 -0500
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
To: <tyler at tysdomain.com>, "National Association of Blind Students
mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
Message-ID: <A6CA2458FE0047ABAFE10E060C7CA7BC at OwnerPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
reply-type=response

Tyler,
No its not an issue with training centers. If people cannot go to one
due to
circumstances, that does not invalidate the work the center does.
It just shows more options need to be available. I'd like to see more
home
based teaching where a teacher comes to your home to teach you privately

using your own equipment and marking them if needed.

Rj, your friend should look at other options. Has she asked about
receiving
services from her vr agency?
They may contract with itenerant O&M and rehab teaching specialists who
can
help her at home.
Has she investigated community options such as a lighthouse? If she
lives in
NC, there is the Metrolina Association for the blind; if in GA, there
are
two day centers such as the Center for the visually impaired in Atlanta.
Those are just a few examples. TThere may be options. You just have to
find
them.

Ashley

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