[nfbcs] Blind computer scientist wanted

Tue Oct 3 13:43:40 UTC 2017

 From my work with the International Association of Visually Impaired 
Technologists, my sense is that working on accessibility is a major 
source of jobs for blind IT people. I am going to take a wag atit being 
a fifth to a quarter of jobs held by blind people in IT. Some of that is 
discrimination. It probably isn't quite accurate to say blind people are 
forced into accessibility jobs but companies are less reluctant to hire 
blind people for accessibility jobs than they are for mainstream jobs. 
So often it's an accessibility job or nothing.

My sense is that a high percentage of blind IP professionals who never 
worked in accessibility are those who went blind after they were already 
established in a career. That is true for me, for example. I think it is 
really, really difficult for a blind person, by that I mean someone who 
has no useful vision when it comes to using a computer, to break into IT.

I don't have statistics on this but I'm old enough to remember when many 
states had programs to train blind people to program computers. Three 
months of programming school and they were supposed to go out there and 
compete. It was cruel. I mean, quite honestly, I think it is fair to go 
beyond ineffective or useless to describe these programs. I think it's 
fair to describe them as cruel.

I believe the vast majority of blind entry level jobs are either in 
government, set up by a DVR agency, or are in accessibility. It is 
really unusual for a blind person, fresh out of tech school, or even 
right out of college, to land a job inIT in the private sector.

On 10/03/2017 07:24 AM, Christopher Chaltain via nfbcs wrote:
> I don't have any statistics one way or the other, but I'm not sure I 
> agree that most companies push blind people into accessibiity jobs. I've 
> been working in the computer field for almost 30 years, and I've never 
> worked in the accessibility field, even though I've initiated some 
> interest in that direction from time to time. I'm also just not sure 
> there's enough accessibility jobs out their or companies that have 
> accessibility programs.
> 
> 
> On 10/03/2017 06:58 AM, Andy B. via nfbcs wrote:
>> I agree. However, most companies push blind people into an 
>> accessibility job
>> position. "Your blind... we were thinking of an accessibility program. 
>> Why
>> can't you run it for us?" or "You must be good at making things
>> accessible..." Not much on the normal job qualifications.
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Christopher
>> Chaltain via nfbcs
>> Sent: Monday, October 2, 2017 10:14 PM
>> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Christopher Chaltain <chaltain at gmail.com>
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Blind computer scientist wanted
>>
>> I do to, but I don't think this means blind people shouldn't be able to
>> apply for jobs in the accessibility field.
>>
>>
>> On 10/02/2017 07:45 PM, Andy B. via nfbcs wrote:
>>> I want to see blind people doing normal jobs, not just ADA/accessibility
>>> related work.
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Amanda 
>>> Lacy via
>>> nfbcs
>>> Sent: Monday, October 2, 2017 8:06 PM
>>> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>>> Cc: Amanda Lacy <lacy925 at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Blind computer scientist wanted
>>>
>>> Nope, he forwarded a conversation from five years ago and added the
>>> job-related message today. I promise it's current I must have messed 
>>> it up
>>> when I was erasing the extraneous stuff; sorry for the confusion.
>>>
>>> On 10/2/17, Bryan Schulz via nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> Did you read the sent date?
>>>> The sent date from your friend was five years ago!
>>>> Bryan
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Amanda Lacy
>>>> via nfbcs
>>>> Sent: Monday, October 02, 2017 2:24 PM
>>>> To: Jobs for the Blind <jobs at nfbnet.org>; NFB in Computer Science
>>>> Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Cc: Amanda Lacy <lacy925 at gmail.com>
>>>> Subject: [nfbcs] Blind computer scientist wanted
>>>>
>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>> From: Noah Al Hadidi <noah.alhadidi at gmail.com>
>>>> Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2012 10:59:07 -0600
>>>> Subject: this one!Re: FW: Your questions about accessibility
>>>> To: lacy925 at gmail.com
>>>>
>>>> Hey Amanda,
>>>> I hope you are well. I currently work at charter Comunication and we
>>>> are looking to higher people to help with websites, apps and other
>>>> products accessibility.  do you know of any blind people who have
>>>> computer science degree or programmers  and looking for a job? If so,
>>>> send me their resume. This will be in Colorado.
>>>> Thank you.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
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>>>>
>>>> .
>>>>
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> 