[nabs-l] Extensive Cane Travel During the Summer

Mon Jan 27 05:27:10 UTC 2014

Hi Andy,

Does your university disability service pay for O&M training? If they
don't, did you try DVR to pay it? What state are you in?

If you can give us further information, everyone can be more helpful I guess.
Good luck!

Zeynep

2014-01-25, Dave Webster <dwebster125 at gmail.com>:
> 	No.  Junior blind down in Los Angeles has it.  They merged with
> hatlin but.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ashley
> Bramlett
> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 6:05 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Extensive Cane Travel During the Summer
>
> Dave,
> Who has a customer service program? Do you mean Hatlen? I did not think
> they
> did that. just clarifying.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Dave Webster
> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 7:52 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Extensive Cane Travel During the Summer
>
> Hi.  My name is Dave.  I wanted to chime in a bit on this.  Right now, by
> the way I'm in California but I am in a program at Junior Blind called the
> davidson program for independence.  Its an ok program but it s very very
> traditional.  I'm just there to bursh up on some cane travel skills and
> house keeping and cooking and stuff.  I actually don't really like the
> program because I'm getting bored with it.  The Hatlin center is good.  Its
> out here in California up in San Pablo.  I was gonna go but they have a
> year
> long waiting list so unfortunately dpi was the only one available.  After I
> get done with that I'm gonna be doing a customer service training progrma
> out there that they have.  its only 5 weeks.  I'll be glad when I'm done
> with dpi.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Ashley Bramlett
> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 4:26 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Extensive Cane Travel During the Summer
>
> Hi,
> that's a tough question! The difficulties you have are common I've noticed
> from my interactions with young blind and vi adults. We get good braille
> and
> tech skills in school, but vision teachers do not teach daily life skills
> to
> us.
> I commend you for seeking resources to rectify these deficits.
> The research I did involved transition camps for college students or teens;
> these programs involve the whole range of skills like braille, technology,
> daily living, travel skills and sometimes medical care instruction.
>
> I know what you mean; in college, I sought the same program since my
> technology and braille skills were good; I just wanted the housekeeping
> skills and cane travel.
> But now out of college, I realize I need to update my computer and other
> tech skills.
> I would think a local agency like a lighthouse for the blind might provide
> weekly private training; I mean they come to your home and give you this
> training and even label appliances and tools so you can use them. If you
> get
> O&M, they will instruct you in your neighborhood provided you have
> sidewalks
> and drive you to sites locally to teach you.
> I want to use their services at columbia lighthouse, but it would get so
> darn expensive. ah, maybe if I have a part time job, I can use some of this
> money to hire instructors.
> Is there a lighthouse in your area?
>
> I might know of something; which state are you in, might I ask?
> I had O&M growing up, but the teacher focussed so much on giving me routes
> to follow that she did not teach generalized skills and I feel her
> expectations were low; as an adult, I was fortunate to get more o&M by our
> dept for the blind. But they can only serve you a few times a month. I
> would
> have gone further and learned more if they provided training every week.
>
> You know, in this free wealthy country, it is sad we do not have more
> community resources to address skills for blind and vision impaired people.
> Nfb might just say come to our centers, but the reality is people do not!
> want to leave their environment for months. They would rather stay at home
> to integrate skills in their own lives and homes. They have family  to care
> for or school to attend or other commitments. If we could provide more
> community services, I think people with vision loss may be more inclined to
> partake in services. Some people just want to use  a computer as they lose
> vision or learn how they can read again with magnifiers or braille; they do
> not want the whole package of skills that NFB centers, and to much extent
> regular centers offer. They just want some part of it, and I think this
> should be respected, not have them shipped off to some centers telling them
> they have to learn braille when  they might read fine with a CCTV or other
> magnifier or more lighting, telling them they have to use a cane when they
> hate it and are not ready for a cane emotionally or maybe their vision is
> sufficient to get around but not sufficient to say read a magazine, or
> telling clients they have to take cooking for like five months when they
> already knew how to cook as a sighted person and simply need some lessons
> in
> adaptive techniques of cooking which in this case they would be fine.
>
> I hope you find a sollution! Are you seeking some regular instruction or
> structured discovery? The latter basically is based on problem solving and
> you figure out a lot on your own where as traditional instruction involves
> a
> variety of techniques such as using maps, working on mental mapping,
> teaching you traffic patterns by listening to traffic, sensory awareness,
> and sometimes use of electronic devices like GPS systems.
> Structured discovery is taught at NFB centers and nfb like centers which
> are
> centers run by federationists but are often state funded.
>
> Are you completely blind?
>
> I would suggest  these resources.
> 1. Call hadley school for the blind; they may have ideas. they are a
> distance ed school; their O&M teacher who teaches intro to O&M may be able
> to recommend an instructor; her name is Ginger Irwin. She is a
> traditionally
> certified instructor.
> but this might involve you paying for it; or your parents paying I mean.
>
> 2. Carroll center in newton MA, may have a summer program to fit your
> needs.
> You are too old for the youth in transition program, but maybe they have
> one
> for college students.
>
> 3. Cleveland sight center in Ohio has a six week program for young adults
> in
> the summer. You live in apartments and get to have a job which is a good
> resume builder. I know they individualize instruction, so if you do not
> want
> classes in braille or technology, they might honor that. I do not know how
> ridgid the young adult program is, but when I called to inquire about their
> adult program, they assured me that if you know a skill, and do not wish to
> go further in it, you do not take that class. I might add though, I do
> recommend you take computer classes because technology changes, and you
> might benefit from more pc instruction. For instance, I see many powerpoint
> questions here which means students do not know how to use that. I also
> think basic excel skills are good to learn budgeting or simply storing
> information. Sometimes people say their tech skills are great, but really
> they don't know the whole office suite, and this is needed for many office
> jobs.
> The website is www.clevelandsightcenter.org.
>
> 4. The hatlen center might have summer offerings. you also live in
> apartments there, so lots of practice cooking and cleaning.
>
> 5. Have you checked into your state rehab center? they might let you take
> certain classes. I don't know if your state has one or not.
>
> HTH,
> Ashley
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andy
> Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2014 6:26 PM
> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nabs-l] Extensive Cane Travel During the Summer
>
> All,
> I'm a college student (freshman) and I've been blind since birth.
> Unfortunately throughout the years, my mobility/cane travel instruction has
> been sporadic, at best.  I'm finding that I lack a lot of skills: I have a
> lot of difficulty crossing streets, for example, and don't really even know
> basic traffic patterns.  I find that I get lost a lot, and in general I
> just
> really need a great deal of instruction for mobility.  To get around now,
> as
> much as it pains me to say it, I get a lot of help.
>
> I'm looking to rectify this situation.  As I'm in college, I really would
> prefer to not take a semester off, so some sort of summer training program
> would be enormously helpful.  I already know braille, computers, etc -
> really all I need is mobility, and if possible, basic cooking,
> housekeeping,
> etc.  I did some research, but all I could find were camps, college prep
> programs, etc, which isn't what I'm looking for.
>
> If anyone has any suggestions on what might be out there during the summer
> for training, please let me know.
> Thanks.
>
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