[nfb-talk] FW: Interesting article on a new trial for signs in Australia

Fri Jul 26 13:30:48 UTC 2013

Terry, 
Stores, shopping centers and Malls are privately owned properties. The
street signs are city, county and state responsibilities. The signs have
to be on a level where they could be accessed by people short and tall. 
Canada has Braille on their currency, Australia has Braille signs on the
streets, what is the United States doing to help the Blind. We can't
even teach the low vision kids Braille. 

Yasmin Reyazuddin 
Aging & Disability Services 
Montgomery County Government 
Department of Health & Human Services 
401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor) 
Rockville MD 20850 
240-777-0311 (MC311) 
240-777-1556 (personal) 
240-777-1495 (fax) 
office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm 
Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille 

This message may contain protected health information or other
information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the
intended recipient, please contact the sender by return mail and destroy
any copies of this material. 

Thank you.

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Powers,
Terry (NIH/NCI) [E]
Sent: Friday, July 26, 2013 9:20 AM
To: 'NFB Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] FW: Interesting article on a new trial for
signsin Australia

I would rather see them try something, like this, on signage for the
stores in a mall or shopping senter.  This way, I can go to a mall and
identify any store, on my own.  They can do it with rest rooms, why not
each store!
Verbal street signs, sure would be nicer, but most likely are out of our
budget.  Braille signs are going to be hard to find and which sign is
for which street?  Kids can and wind can, cause signs to turn direction.
I am not sure if I could depend on braille signs, unless there was a way
for them to stay stable.  
Hight is also another problem.  I would like to see more effort made on
labeling the address of buildings and room numbers and store names.

Terry Powers

-----Original Message-----
From: d m gina [mailto:dmgina at samobile.net] 
Sent: Monday, July 22, 2013 4:05 PM
To: nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] FW: Interesting article on a new trial for signs
in Australia

yes I am getting shorter and shorter, I'm sure they are way above my
head.
Now that cracks me up.

Original message:
> I have.  As a rule, street signs tend to be mounted on poles and are 
> quite high up:  more so than merely reaching a hand up would permit 
> feeling.  That's another reason why Braille street signs ain't gonna
work.

> Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the 
> blind built-in!
> Sincerely,
> The Constantly Barefooted Ray
> Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user!

> On Jul 22, 2013, at 2:38 PM, d m gina <dmgina at samobile.net> wrote:

>> I have never seen a street sign, are they on the same pole as a light
pole?
>> That would be most entertaining.

>> Original message:
>>> Hi Everyone,

>>> The following article was sent to me by a friend. Maybe the local
county
>>> government is considering placing Braille signage for street signs.

>>> I would like to know the federation thoughts on this topic.

>>> Yasmin Reyazuddin
>>> Aging & Disability Services
>>> Montgomery County Government
>>> Department of Health & Human Services
>>> 401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor)
>>> Rockville MD 20850
>>> 240-777-0311 (MC311)
>>> 240-777-1556 (personal)
>>> 240-777-1495 (fax)
>>> office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm
>>> Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille

>>> This message may contain protected health information or other
>>> information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the
>>> intended recipient, please contact the sender by return mail and
destroy
>>> any copies of this material.

>>> Thank you.

>>>
http://www.guidedogs.com.au/news-and-events/news/20-06-2013/sydneysiders
>>> -with-impaired-vision-to-trial-new-braille-street-signs

>>> Top of Form

>>> Sydneysiders with impaired vision to trial new Braille street signs

>>> 20 June, 2013

>>> Walking around Sydney can be easy if you can see to read the street
>>> signs, but imagine how you'd go if you were blind or vision
impaired?

>>> With the incidence of vision loss increasing, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has
>>> welcomed a City of Sydney initiative to trial Braille and tactile
street
>>> signs that provide people who are blind or vision impaired with
>>> information on where they are.

>>> Today, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT clients who use guide dogs or long canes
to
>>> help them get around will participate in the trial at Circular Quay.
It
>>> will involve them testing and providing feedback on the legibility
of
>>> prototype street signs that provide location information in Braille
and
>>> tactile raised lettering.

>>> Guide Dogs NSW/ACT clients and Community Education staff have played
a
>>> key role in the City of Sydney's consultation process on the
development
>>> of the new Braille and tactile street signs, which will replace
existing
>>> signage that has worn-out from use since they were installed in the
>>> 1990s.

>>> "The trial will ensure that the best possible Braille and tactile
street
>>> sign products and designs are used so that people who are blind or
>>> vision impaired can easily and independently access the City of
Sydney,"
>>> says Jennifer Moon, Community Education Coordinator for Guide Dogs
>>> NSW/ACT.

>>> "The Braille and tactile street signs are an important enhancement
to
>>> the specialized work our Orientation and Mobility Instructors do.
They
>>> provide training to people with impaired vision that enables them to
>>> move around their environments safely and on their own."

>>> After the trial, it is proposed that a new network of Braille and
>>> tactile street signs will be placed next to pedestrian crossing
buttons
>>> on traffic light poles through the CBD. They aim to give pedestrians
>>> with vision loss the confidence that they will be able to
'orientate'
>>> themselves throughout their journey and at their destination.

>>> Guide dog handler Nicole Holmes (pictured above), who has been part
of
>>> the consultation process, knows only too well how important it is to
>>> have the right Braille and tactile street signs in place.

>>> "The ability to identify my location or where I am in such a busy
city
>>> like Sydney most importantly eases my stress while I'm trying to
>>> negotiate the environment," says Nicole, whose vision is impaired
due to
>>> Retinopathy of Prematurity.

>>> "Braille and tactile signage is also useful in reassuring me that I
am
>>> heading in the right direction to my destination so it complements
the
>>> assistance that I get from my long cane or guide dog. I'm really
pleased
>>> that the City of Sydney is trialing the Braille street signs because
as
>>> vision impairment can differ between people, we need to make sure
the
>>> end product will be useful for as many people with vision impairment
as
>>> possible."

>>> Research predicts that the number of people in NSW and the ACT aged
over
>>> 40 with impaired vision is set to rise to 100,000 by 2020 .

>>> Each year, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT provides free services to almost 4,000
>>> people of all ages and with any degree of vision loss that might
impact
>>> their ability to get around independently.

>>> For more information about Guide Dogs NSW/Act's free services visit
>>> www.guidedogs.com.au or call 1800 804 805.
>>> ENDS

>>> MEDIA: Please contact: Sally Edgar, 0413 753 241 or
>>> media at guidedogs.com.au

>>> ABOUT GUIDE DOGS NSW/ACT
>>> Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is the leading provider of guide dogs and
orientation
>>> and mobility services to enable people with impaired vision to get
>>> around their communities independently. Services include providing
>>> training and aids including long canes, guide dogs and electronic
travel
>>> devices such as talking GPS technology. . Visit
www.guidedogs.com.au,
>>> call 1800 804 805, or follow us on Facebook
>>> <http://www.facebook.com/guidedogsnswact?ref=hl>  or Twitter
>>> <https://twitter.com/GuideDogsNSWACT> .
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>> --
>> --Dar
>> skype: dmgina23
>> FB: dmgina
>> www.twitter.com/dmgina
>> every saint has a past
>> every sinner has a future

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-- 
--Dar
skype: dmgina23
  FB: dmgina
www.twitter.com/dmgina
every saint has a past
every sinner has a future

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