[nagdu] Blind Inc.

Wayne Merritt wcmerritt at gmail.com
Fri Apr 9 01:32:27 UTC 2010


Wow, I really sounded like someone who works in rehab, ... oops, guess
I am someone who works in rehab, grin. If you had told me that I would
be saying things like that 15 years ago, my response would have
probably been something like, "Yeah, right, you gotta be kidding me."
My how times change, ey? :)

Wayne

On 4/8/10, Tamara Smith-Kinney <tamara.8024 at comcast.net> wrote:
> Wayne,
>
> That degree of *individualized* training is what I would call the ideal
> approach.  Your individual attitudes and view of your role as a teacher are
> what really makes it work.
>
> I still can't begin to imagine how it would be possible to create a policy
> to cover the individual needs of clients, since not all individual teachers
> or administrators or program directors or whatever else can deal with the
> individual approach as well as others.
>
> Good thing I'm not a policy maker, then isn't it?  /grin/
>
> Thanks for the good information.
>
> Tami Smith-Kinney
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Wayne Merritt
> Sent: Thursday, April 08, 2010 1:56 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind Inc.
>
> That's along the lines of what I was saying, that the needs of the
> student are taken into account and training is provided accordingly.
> For instance, if someone has stamina issues and neuropathy in their
> feet, then that will be taken into account in their travel/mobility
> class. They will still get good quality training, but perhaps they
> don't walk as far or as long as someone without those issues. Further,
> it's not right for me to look at that person and judge from their
> short comings that they can't make it in training; that's not my role.
> My job is to provide training for them wherever they're at, and go
> from there.
>
> Wayne
>
> On 4/7/10, Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com> wrote:
>> As a cane user, I fear that we might be raising some issues here that are
>> really not issues.  In some cases, we may be comparing apples and oranges.
>> Many of us,
>> whether we use canes or dogs to get around, are fairly familiar with both
>> approaches.  However, the introduction of service animals that perform
> other
>> functions are
>> really beyond The understanding and experience of most of us.  to assume
>> that a training center's policy that applies to guid dogs is going to be
>> applied equally to all
>> service animals regardless of the service they provide simply doesn't make
>> sense.  The specific needs of the individual will have to be taken into
>> account and
>> should be addressed with a particular training center if one is being
>> considered.
>>
>> The role of emotional support provided by service animals is even more
>> complex.  There is no debating whether emotional support can be given by a
>> service animal,
>> but it is much more difficult to weigh the rights and needs of one person
>> versus another so it has been more difficult to know just how laws should
> be
>> applied.  I don't
>> feel qualified to debate that issue and it probably shouldn't be debated
>> here anyway.  The main point I'm trying to make is that I do not believe
> any
>> opinion or policy
>> regarding the use of canes or dogs for travel would assume that they would
>> be applied to other service animals as well.
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Steve Jacobson
>> anyone who uses a cane
>>
>> On Wed, 7 Apr 2010 11:38:17 -0400, Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) wrote:
>>
>>>But Marian why do you get to judge?
>>>How would you judge Rox who presumably couldn't use a cane safely and
>>>effectively? How would youjudge Shannon and why does your opinion hold
>>>more weight then theirs?
>>>Using a cane and dog are very different. The dog is more about
>>>management and communicating with another living being, the cane doesn't
>>>have those two features.
>>
>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>>>Behalf Of Marion Gwizdala
>>>Sent: Friday, April 02, 2010 7:50 AM
>>>To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>>>Subject: Re: [nagdu] Blind Inc.
>>
>>>Tracy and All,
>>>    At last year's convention,each of the Executive Directors of the NFB
>>
>>>centers,including Shaun Mayo, and Curtis Chong, representing the Iowa
>>>Commission for the Blind, discussed their approach to guide dogs during
>>>training. Each of the centers seemed to be in concert about this, so I
>>>don't
>>>think you would find much of a difference from one center to the other!
>>>None
>>>of them - including BLIND, inc. - seemed to be "anti guide dog". They
>>>all
>>>allow their students to use their dogs while at their centers, just not
>>>during training hours, as their philosophy is that the white cane is the
>>
>>>foundation of sound O&M skills. in my opinion, this is a good approach,
>>>as I
>>>find all too many guide dog users have poor O&M skills. I, too, believe
>>>that
>>>the ability to travel safely and independently with a long white cane
>>>should
>>>be a prerequisite for obtaining a guide dog!
>>
>>>Fraternally yours,
>>>Marion Gwizdala
>>
>>
>>>----- Original Message -----
>>>From: "Tracy Carcione" <carcione at access.net>
>>>To: <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 2010 10:06 AM
>>>Subject: [nagdu] Blind Inc.
>>
>>
>>>> Hi Martha.
>>>> There are people on this list who have been through the Colorado
>>>Center
>>>> with their dogs, or there used to be.  Jen was one of them, I believe.
>>>She
>>>> said it was fine.  I don't know if the dog arrangements are different
>>>at
>>>> Blind Inc.  They have always appeared to me to be the most anti-dog of
>>>the
>>>> bunch, but that's my opinion.
>>>> I wouldn't do it myself, but others have and it's been OK for their
>>>dogs.
>>>> 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/blind411%40verizo
>>>n.net
>>
>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>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/rebecca.pickrell%
>>>40ngc.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/steve.jacobson%40vi
> si.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/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/tamara.8024%40comcast
> .net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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




More information about the NAGDU mailing list