[nfb-talk] [blindkid] Blind/Low Vision Inclusive Technology - "ExtremeMakeover: Home Edition" on Sunday, December 5

[Peter Donahue]

Good morning everyone,

    We've been through this before haven't we? Every time we've heard what a 
great show the Extreme Make-Over Home Edition will be whenever it features 
blind people. We watch the program only to discover that it's the same old 
junk about the blind portrayed by the media. It's junk like this that causes 
apartment managers to believe that blind tenants seeking to rent from them 
be accompanied by an apartment locator when in the view of the prospective 
blind renter such services are not needed. This happened to Mary and myself 
last spring when we toured different properties looking for a new place to 
live. The manager of one apartment complex was more interested in 
advertising the services of her co-worker whose boyfriend was an apartment 
locator than showing us what they had to offer.

    It was after some persistence on our part that we finally got a tour of 
one of their units. We told the manager that we in fact used a locator 
called HP Pavilion Apartment Hunters and another service called Dell 
Apartment Finding Inc. These services are no further than our living room 
and guest bedroom and on our laps when needed. They're on call 24/7 and will 
allow you to search for apartments at any time. Hence we could look at 
rental property on our schedule not that of apartment locators of the human 
kind.

    Realizing that this complex was looking straight down the barrel of a 
possible disability discrimination complaint they offered us a unit but it 
was smaller than what we needed. In the end we declined this offer but at 
least we accomplished our mission.

    We now live in a 1300 SQFT townhome on San Antonio's Northeast side. 
Unlike our experience with the complex described above the management here 
were surprised that we found them online and were relieved that they 
wouldn't need to pay an apartment location fee.

        I'm relaying this story as it's the kind of thing that can happen to 
blind people looking to lease or perhaps even buy a place to live. As long 
as Extreme Make-over Home Edition portrays us as helpless individuals who 
can only live independently if their home is equipped with this or that 
gadgett, or umpteen textured surfaces and the rest of it. I hope we can find 
a way to put a stop to how ABC portrays blind people on the Extreme 
Make-over Home Edition program. All the best.

Peter Donahue


 ----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kim Cunningham" <kim at gulfimagesphoto.com>
To: "Blindkid" <blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 03, 2010 8:14 AM
Subject: [blindkid] Blind/Low Vision Inclusive Technology - 
"ExtremeMakeover: Home Edition" on Sunday, December 5











WGBH's Media Access Group Encourages Tuning into ABC'S "Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition" on Sunday, December 5 (8-9pm, EST)

The Media Access Group at WGBH encourages all those interested in inclusive 
technology for people who are blind or have low vision to tune into "Extreme 
Makeover: Home Edition" this Sunday evening, December 5.
While we can't provide any specific information on what will be seen and 
heard (it would spoil the surprise!), the episode promises to create much 
greater awareness of the services and products now available for people who 
have limited or no sight.

Here is the information the production company has released in advance about 
this episode:

The "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" team has selected the Anderson Family 
in Cleveland, Ohio. The family of four answered the call to action when they 
inspired the community to heighten their awareness of the obstacles facing 
the disabled in their community. Diving headlong into their work, Andre and 
Jasmine have dedicated their time to supporting and counseling the disabled 
by connecting them with resources to help them live and lead more 
independent lives. The Andersons have proven to be the definitive role 
models as they themselves lost their sight 4 years ago.

Empowered by their own obstacles, Andre and Jasmine have never let anything 
slow them down. Together they have teamed to complete grad school, run a 
center for people with disabilities, created a support group, and all while 
balancing life at home with their 2 boys (one of whom is hearing impaired). 
Despite having lost their sight after their sons, Jasison and Jahzion were 
born, Andre and Jasmine have rallied back and have embraced their reality. 
While they continue to empower their community, the family has hit a rough 
patch. Their home is falling apart around them and it has become complicated 
and hazardous for them to live in especially in the face of how their needs 
continue to grow.

On September 29th the Andersons will have some changes in sight when Ty 
Pennington, designers Michael Maloney, Tracy Huston, and Xzibit deliver a 
"Smart House" in just 7 days. Local builders Marous Brothers Construction 
and community volunteers will rebuild the structure and give them the key to 
live above and beyond their wildest dreams. The Andersons will vacation in 
Crested Butte, Colorado.

About "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition"
The Emmy-award winning reality program "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,"
now in its 8th season, is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol 
Holding. It's executive-produced Brady Connell and George Verschoor. David 
Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. The show airs Sundays from 
8:00-9:00 p.m., ET on ABC.

About the Media Access Group at WGBH
The Media Access Group at WGBH, which includes a Services division and a 
research and development division--the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family National 
Center for Accessible Media--has pioneered and delivered captioned and 
described media for nearly four decades to people in their homes, 
classrooms, at work and in the community. And the Media Access Group 
continues to develop new solutions to access challenges as technology, and 
the way we all consume media, evolve. Members of the group's collective 
staff represent the leading experts in their fields and their success is 
exemplified by a history of accomplishments and continuous growth, the 
integration of innovative products and services into society at large, and 
the enthusiastic support of the audiences served, including 36 million 
people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or have low vision. More 
information about the Media Access Group at WGBH can be found at: 
http://access.wgbh.org.

Contact:
Mary Watkins
mary_watkins at wgbh.org
617 300-3700

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