[nfbwatlk] What to do when you meet a sighted person

[Les Fitzpatrick]

I really like that Beth. 


Leslie W Fitzpatrick
Piano Technician
Instructor at the School of Piano Technology For The Blind
http://www.pianotuningschool.org
Ham Call K5FPt

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Beth Manning
Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2009 2:17 PM
To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nfbwatlk] What to do when you meet a sighted person

What To Do When You Meet A Sighted Person (Author Unknown) People who use
their eyes to receive information about the world are called sighted people
or "people who are sighted." Legal "sight" means any visual acuity greater
then 20/200 in the better eye without correction or an angle of vision wider
than 20 degrees. Sighted people enjoy rich full lives, working, playing, and
raising families. They run businesses, hold public office, and teach your
children! 

How do Sighted People Get Around? People who are sighted may walk or ride
public transportation, but most choose to travel long distances by operating
their own motor vehicles. They have gone through many hours of training to
learn the "rules of the road" in order to further their independence. Once
that road to freedom has been mastered, sighted people earn a legal
classification and a "Driver's License" which allows them to operate a
private vehicle safely and independently. 

How Do You Assist A Sighted Person? Sighted people are accustomed to viewing
the world in visual terms. This means that in many situations, they will not
be able to communicate orally and may resort to pointing or other gesturing.


Subtle facial expressions may also be used to convey feelings in social
situations. Calmly alert the sighted person to his surroundings by speaking
slowly, in a normal tone of voice. Questions directed at the sighted person
help focus attention back on the verbal rather than visual communication. 

At times, sighted people may need help finding things, especially when
operating a motor vehicle. Your advance knowledge of routes and landmarks,
particularly bumps in the road, tums, and traffic lights, will assist the
"driver" in finding the way quickly and easily. Your knowledge of building
layouts can also assist the sighted person in navigating complex shopping
malls, and offices. Sighted people tend to be very proud and will not ask
directly for assistance. Be gentle yet firm. 

How Do Sighted People Use Computers? The person who is sighted relies
exclusively on visual information. His or her attention span fades quickly
when reading long texts. Computer information is presented in a "Graphical
User Interface" or GUI. Coordination of hands and eyes is often a problem
for sighted people, so the computer mouse, a handy device that slides along
the desk top, saves confusing keystrokes. With one button, the sighted
person can move around his or her computer screen quickly and easily. People
who are sighted are not accustomed to synthetic speech and may have great
difficulty understanding even the clearest synthesizer. Be patient and
prepared to explain many times how your computer equipment works. 

How Do Sighted People Read? Sighted people read through a system called
"Print" this is a series of images drawn in a two dimensional plain. People
who are sighted generally have a poorly developed sense of touch. Braille is
completely foreign to the sighted person and he or she will take longer to
learn the code and be severely limited by his or her existing visual senses.


Sighted people cannot function well in low lighting conditions and are
generally completely helpless in total darkness. Their homes are usually
very brightly lit at great expense, as are businesses that cater to the
sighted consumer. 

How Can I Support A Sighted Person? People who are sighted do not want your
charity. They want to live, work, and play along with you. The best thing
you can do to support sighted people in your community is to open yourself
to their world. These Americans are vital contributing members to society. 
Take a sighted person to lunch today! 


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