[nagdu] mobility independence question
Steven Johnson
blinddog3 at charter.net
Wed Apr 16 22:33:28 UTC 2014
Hi Darla,
I am somewhat taken aback by your question? The AMP program may actually be
one possible option for such O&M programs to get that assessment he might
need to determine if more intensive O&M is possibly needed...that if he
chooses such a direction. Contrary to the initial thought, this may
actually be the one place he can get that insight. The harder part is then
where does he go from there if more intensive O&M is indeed needed, but
remember, this isn't our call...it is his? If you are not familiar with the
program, they are very highly connected to Western Michigan U...and the
chances are that they could get him further connected if needed. However,
the more important point here is that I don't think it's our place to
determine what is or what is not right for him, but providing options so he
can make that decision himself is ultimately what a good peer will do. Each
of us has had different and unique experiences with O&M, and for anyone to
say that he was not served properly is short-sighted. Remember, there are
two sides to a story...just saying. I nor anyone else doesn't know his
exact situation, and the responses are only based on what he is disclosing,
so basically, the opinions are just that, but now starting to tip over to
those of judgment of one particular instructor based on what was in part
said.
Thanks,
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Darla Rogers
Sent: Wednesday, April 16, 2014 4:42 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
Dear Steve,
How many hours per day do you work? I think intensive
training--maybe not just a week--is what is needed now not all this freaking
route training. I understand sometimes, it is necessary, but as others have
pointed out, good orientation skills need to be taught, and it seems not to
be happening anymore
Darla& Huggable Huck
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Steven Johnson
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 9:24 PM
To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
John,
I have not yet commented on your thread, but I can assure you that the O&M
instructors through the Leader Dog AMP program are top notch, and yes, they
will teach you how to detect and avoid such obstacles. As you probably know
by now, this is a one week long class that will help to improve your current
cane skills. You might even get to test drive a Leader Dog! Let us know
how things turn out.
Steve & Bennett
-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
starmy22 at gmail.com
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 4:44 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
Hi,
My mobility instructor didn't even recommend me to get a guide dog.
I have a question: I've contacted leader dogs about the accelerated
mobility program.
Michigan streets are full of potholes.
Do they teach you on how to avoid potholes when crossing streets?
I'm thinking this is the ticket in order for me to get a guide dog.
I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
John Sanders
-----Original Message-----
From: Becky
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2014 12:48 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
Hi
I am on my fourth dog. When I went to training in Kalmazoo back in 2000 they
told me I would never work good with a guide dog.
Becky Sabo an Hakia
Sent from my iPhone
On Apr 13, 2014, at 1:17 PM, Raven Tolliver <ravend729 at gmail.com> wrote:
The way it works here in Michigan is that in order to receive O&M
instruction, or anything from the Commission, there has to be a
justification. So the justification for O&M is often orientation to a
specific area (i.e., school, work, your neighborhood, a shopping center). No
one is going to just come out and work on street crossings in some part of
town without a justification. If it is a part of a route, they will help you
learn, but otherwise, you're better off going to a training center, or
Leader Dogs Accelerated Mobility Program. Students are expected to receive
basic O&M during their public education here, but obviously, everyone
doesn't receive the same kind of training.
Your mobility instructor can help you with off-campus training as well.
Surely, there will be stores and businesses off-campus that you will visit.
Is there a bus system in your college's area that you will need orientation
to? These are some of the things that my O&M instructor worked with me on.
Will a guide dog school except some one who is semi-independent?
Yes. If the right people say the right things about you.
But you don't want to get a guide dog if you can't independently cross a
traffic-light intersection. During your home interview and/or at guide dog
school, you will be expected to independently demonstrate mid-block
crossings and traffic-light intersection. While your guide dog will be able
to perform traffic checks, that is not a reliable way of crossing a
difficult or busier intersection. Even if you manage to slip through
everyone's fingers and do what seems to be the right thing at the time like
some people do, it is irresponsible to get a guide dog when your O&M is
lacking. It's irresponsible because now, not only is your life at risk, but
also your dog's life.
> On 4/13/14, Daryl Marie <crazymusician at shaw.ca> wrote:
> Agreed with Nicole. When I moved to Alberta, I had a good - perhaps
> great - base of O&M skills to fall back on, and my exposure to O&M
> here was almost always on an as-needed basis. I have been shown the
> layouts of malls that don't have straight hallways, and shown how to
> navigate traffic circles (something unheard of where I grew up).
> Without the basic skills, situational O&M is not nearly as useful.
>
> Daryl
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Nicole Torcolini <ntorcolini at wavecable.com>
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Sun, 13 Apr 2014 12:14:20 -0600 (MDT)
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
>
> I think that a mobility instructor should teach both. I have good
> mobility skills; however, if I go to a new place that I will be going
> often, such as a new building at work, I might ask the mobility
> instructor to come help me learn it as she may know what things will
> be helpful to a blind person more so than someone else.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael
> Hingson
> Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 10:16 AM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
>
> John,
>
> What your mobility instructor should be teaching you is how to travel
> independently rather than specific routes. That is, if your
> instructor is really doing her job she would be teaching you
> techniques you can use anywhere to learn how to go from place to
> place. Such techniques will include asking questions of others
> yourself until you know where you are and how you got there. Others
> on this list will tell you of centers they attended such as the
> Colorado Center for the Blind, the Louisiana Center for the Blind, and
> Blind Inc. where students learn good travel techniques including how
> they learn to use their own observation skills to know where they are
> at all times.
>
>
> Best,
>
>
> Michael Hingson
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> starmy22 at gmail.com
> Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 10:06 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
>
> Hi,
> My mobility instructer had read over my previous mobility report that
> she had wrote up for me.
> This was a year ago.
> I live out in Michigan, and the agency that is working with me the
> Michigan Commission for the blind, the mobility instructer from what I
> understand from what my rehabilitation counselar has told me is that
> in order to get training from her, it needs to be in a certin area.
> I'm going to be going to college with in the next month.
> I'm going to need some training on how to get to the various buildings.
> That's what the mobility instructer is there for.
> I'm not able to get any mobility practice and getting myself prepared
> to get a guide dog unless I have a mobility instructer assisting me
> with the steps that are required.
> I hope to hear from you soon.
> Sincerely,
> John Sanders
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Hingson
> Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 12:33 PM
> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
> Subject: Re: [nagdu] mobility independence question
>
> Hi,
>
> Your mobility instructor read over what report? Also, as someone else
> asked, what do you mean that lights are a problem?
>
> If your mobility instructor were doing her job she would be
> addressing, or have addressed issues of you working with traffic flow.
> As far as going into buildings and needing assistance in getting to
> the right bus this is vague at best.
>
> It sounds to me as if your instructor needs to stop making up
> classifications like "semi independent" and begin teaching you real
> mobility skills.
>
>
> Best,
>
>
> Michael Hingson
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> starmy22 at gmail.com
> Sent: Sunday, April 13, 2014 07:41 AM
> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [nagdu] mobility independence question
>
> Hi,
> I have a question: My mobility instructer read over my report and she
> said that I'm a semiindependent.
> The report said that I can successfully cross at stopsigns.
> Lights are a problem for me.
> Will a guide dog school except some one who is semi-independent?> The
> report did say that I use a lot of assistance with getting in to
> buildings especially the bus stations and getting to the right bus
> numbers.
> I hope to hear from you soon.
> Sincerely,
> John Sanders
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/info%40michaelhingson.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/starmy22%40gmail.co
> m
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/info%40michaelhingson.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
>
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/ntorcolini%40wavecable.co
> m
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/crazymusician%40sha
> w.ca
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nagdu mailing list
> nagdu at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nagdu:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/ravend729%40gmail.c
> om
>
--
Raven
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/beckyasabo%40gmail.com
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/starmy22%40gmail.com
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blinddog3%40charter.net
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/djrogers0628%40gmail.com
_______________________________________________
nagdu mailing list
nagdu at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/blinddog3%40charter.net
More information about the NAGDU
mailing list