[nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog

Sat Apr 3 10:08:26 UTC 2010

Hi Wayne,

When I was very young, about six, I used this special cane which was like a 
walking frame but you hold it in front of you and walk along cautiously 
feeling in front of you with the frame. Then a year later I used a rigid 
cane, then at eight or nine, I used a collapsible cane. Then, two years ago 
I got my furry friend! Beautiful.

Michelle
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Wayne Merritt" <wcmerritt at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2010 6:25 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog

> >From what I've heard about the history, the NFB has been advocating
> canes for kids long before the "professionals" in the field did. I
> think there was even a video made by the NFB in the 80's promoting
> canes for blind kids.
>
> Wayne
>
> On 4/2/10, Albert J Rizzi <albert at myblindspot.org> wrote:
>> You have never been on the parents division chat line, many are precluded
>> from using canes  while in school and it disturbs me. the nfb is one 
>> place
>> in the blind movement where that is an option for kids. Not enough 
>> mobility
>> instructors or TVI's think that way, at least that is what I hear when
>> listening to parents. Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>> CEO/Founder
>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>> New York, New York  10004
>> www.myblindspot.org
>> PH: 917-553-0347
>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who 
>> is
>> doing it."
>>
>>
>> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of cheryl echevarria
>> Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 3:57 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog
>>
>> Albert you have never been to a convention, there are tons of blind kids
>> using canes.
>>
>> Cheryl Echevarria
>> Independent Travel Consultant
>> http://Echevarriatravel.com
>> 1-866-580-5574
>>
>> http://blog.echevarriatravel.com
>> Reservations at echevarriatravel.com
>> Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Montrose Travel 
>> CST-1018299-10
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
>> To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'"
>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 4:02 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog
>>
>>
>>> Why is it a requirement for being considered getting a guide dog anyway? 
>>> I
>>> would like to understand the rationale. I am not agreeing or disagreeing
>>> just wondering about the reasons. Then too, if cane mobility is so
>>> integral
>>> to independence, why are there some schools of thought on not 
>>> introducing
>>> the cane to toddlers or blind youth as soon as they can hold one?
>>>
>>> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
>>> CEO/Founder
>>> My Blind Spot, Inc.
>>> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
>>> New York, New York  10004
>>> www.myblindspot.org
>>> PH: 917-553-0347
>>> Fax: 212-858-5759
>>> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who 
>>> is
>>> doing it."
>>>
>>>
>>> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
>>> Behalf
>>> Of Tracy Carcione
>>> Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 2:33 PM
>>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>> Subject: [nagdu] cane skills as prerequisite for guide dog
>>>
>>> Marion, I don't necessarily agree that good cane skills should be a
>>> prerequisite for getting a guide dog.  It's a nice theory.  It would
>>> certainly be helpful.  But I know too many people who don't have
>>> spectacular cane skills, but do great with a dog.  Some of them are 
>>> older
>>> people, who started getting dogs when cane training was not very
>>> available.  Some of them are from places where services for blind people
>>> are not very good.  Some of them went blind as senior citizens, and 
>>> quite
>>> a few agencies don't serve that population very well, since they won't 
>>> be
>>> employed.  Should we tell these people they have to wait until they can
>>> somehow get cane training?  I don't think so. I've met enough people for
>>> whom the dog was the thing that got them back out, living their lives, 
>>> and
>>> I think getting out and living one's life is a great thing. I'm not
>>> willing to stand in someone's way over whether or not their cane skills
>>> measure up to some philosophical mark.
>>>
>>> Should we take good orientation as good enough?  Or should the guide dog
>>> schools offer cane training to prospective applicants who they feel 
>>> should
>>> have it? They seem like reasonable approaches to me, and I believe they
>>> are
>>> the ones being carried out. Encouraging good cane skills is fine, but I
>>> wouldn't make it a prerequisite for a guide dog.
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/albert%40myblindspot.
>>> org
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nagdu mailing list
>>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nagdu:
>>>
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/cherylandmaxx%40hotma
>> il.com
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> nagdu:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/albert%40myblindspot.
>> org
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nagdu mailing list
>> nagdu at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
>> nagdu:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/wcmerritt%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> -- 
> Follow me on Twitter at:
> www.twitter.com/wcmerritt
> My blog:
> http://wayneism.blogspot.com
> My websites:
> www.wayneism.com
> www.whitecaneday.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nagdu:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/m-johnson%40bigpond.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2786 - Release Date: 04/02/10 
18:32:00