[nagdu] Universal Design

Jewel S. herekittykat2 at gmail.com
Mon Mar 29 16:21:18 UTC 2010


~Jewel

On 3/28/10, Albert J Rizzi <albert at myblindspot.org> wrote:
> Thank you
>
> 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 Marion Gwizdala
> Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2010 7:41 PM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Universal Design
>
> Albert,
>     One way to keep abreast of what the NFB is doing is to read our monthly
> journal - The Braille Monitor! It is available on-line at
>
> HTTP://WWW.NFB.ORG
>
> and has back issues into the 1980s.
>
> Marion
>
> ----- 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: Sunday, March 28, 2010 2:33 PM
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Universal Design
>
>
>>I am very  pleased to learn that. sometimes in these dialogues I do not get
>> that sense at all. Seems like at times there is a resounding  sense of
>> elitism and I am happy to hear that my sense is not true about the
>> organization as a whole..
>>
>> 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 Marion Gwizdala
>> Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2010 5:53 AM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Subject: [nagdu] Universal Design
>>
>> Albert,
>>    The prospect of universal design, especially in the area of
>> electronics,
>>
>> is one of the major initiatives of the NFB and the Imagination Fund!
>>
>> Marion Gwizdala
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- 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: Saturday, March 27, 2010 9:42 AM
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Section 501(d)
>>
>>
>>>I hear a need for an open discussion on universal design here. It would
>>> stand to benefit all people of all abilities if we designed things which
>>> would reach the broadest spectrum of peoples of all abilities. If we as a
>>> collective group took this into consideration the ability to impact
>>> change
>>> may happen more quickly as more people would benefit rather then a
>>> segregated few. This was the problem experienced with those curb cuts
>>> which
>>> sent pedestrians out into the intersection rather then setting their path
>>> to
>>> cross the street  in and with the proper flow of traffic rather then
>>> right
>>> into the middle of it. I had not been aware that the sounds emitted were
>>> not
>>> universally designed to appear or sound seamless from one town to the
>>> next,
>>> but then again the pedestrian laws are designed that way to why should I
>>> be
>>> surprised.
>>>
>>> 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 Dan Weiner
>>> Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2010 9:20 AM
>>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Section 501(d)
>>>
>>> Hi, Albert and all.
>>>
>>> Well, I'll give what I consider to be an objective analysis of audible
>>> signals from my point of view.
>>> I think the biggest problem is that the operation of these signals isn't
>>> standardized and so each one is different.
>>> How do you know which is the north south signal or the east west signal
>>> unless you're familiar with an intersection?
>>>
>>> I think they are useful in giving us information, the same information
>>> that
>>> a sighted pedestrian has, whether there is a light r crossing sign that
>>> say
>>> s "walk" or don't walk.
>>> Since as blind people information is key to our success as safe
>>> travelers,
>>
>>> I
>>> think it's a good idea.
>>> What you do with it is up to you.
>>> When I lived in Maryland, a complicated intersection about 500 yards from
>>> my
>>> apartment had an audible signal.
>>> Yes, I did find it helpful, that is, once I figured out that the coo coo
>>> chirp referred to the east west street I wanted to cross  and therefore,
>>> I
>>> should listen for the chirp chirp, which meant I had a walk signal for
>>> the
>>> other street, or something like that--smile.
>>> Yes, guys, knowing when I had the light was helpful.  Doesn't mean my
>>> mind
>>> automatically turned off and I didn't listen for traffic.
>>> It is my person opinion that these signals should be available in a form
>>> that pedestrians can activate on every lighted intersection in the
>>> country.
>>>
>>> Also, and the supposedly perfect travelers out there are going to smirk
>>> at
>>> this one, I am deaf in one ear and, travel skills or not, telling the
>>> direction of traffic is a challenge.  The audible signal was a tangible
>>> piece of info I could use and made it much more stress-free.
>>>
>>> I think the biggest problem, as I said, is standardizing operation: will
>>> it
>>> be a chirp, a voice saying " walk sign is on", a clicking noise? I've
>>> seen
>>> all of these.  And, what about the activation and lack thereof? Where
>>> will
>>> the button be, where will the cross-walk pole be?
>>> Perhaps as a vibrant consumer organization, we the NFB could be giving
>>> valuable consumer input on these questions rather than taking a firm line
>>> and imputing lack of travel skills to those who might find this tool
>>> useful.
>>> Finally, I've been to other countries where audible signals are much more
>>> prevalent than here and the blind do find them helpful...yes, I know
>>> that's
>>> a collective term, "the blind" and we're all individuals.
>>>
>>> Now, I think someone mentioned that, when these systems are set up,
>>> there's
>>> a big hoopla made about the blind now being able to cross streets.
>>> Well, guys, you know that stereotypes abound and why should one more get
>>> our
>>> dander up.
>>> I've been at APS where I couldn't figure out which noise was for which
>>> sound
>>> and ingenious passers-by asked why I wasn't crossing. When I explained,
>>> they
>>> said "well, doesn't the signal tell you"--smile
>>>
>>> Moderator, my apologies, but I thought I'd just add my honestly felt two
>>> cents worth to this discussion.
>>>
>>> Cordially,
>>>
>>> Dan
>>>
>>>
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>>
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>>> org
>>>
>>>
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