[rehab] The advantages of proper rehabilitation teaching:

[Angel238]

Again, I don't know if the below message was sent directly to me, or to the list.  So, I am including it beneath my post.  If it is a repetition, I apologize.            This young woman chose to go to a rehabilitation center which employs 
methods of rehabilitation  some feel are controversial.    I believe, as do 
many, these are the finest methods.  Others do not share my opinion.  I 
don't think this list is the proper forum to be discussing the advantages or 
disadvantages of the techniques used by rehabilitation facilities.  This 
poster does point out, however, what ought to be pointed out to blind 
rehabilitation clients.  That being, it might be best, not to allow what 
others think about decisions made by a blind person to effect, too much, how 
he feels about himself, or to control his life choices.  The possible 
consequences of making unorthodox choices ought to be a part of ones 
rehabilitation program, however.  Else the rehabilitation facility is doing 
the blind individual a severe disservice.  I shall trot out another example 
from my own life, to illustrate my point.  In 1966, I attended my state 
school, for its summer rehabilitation program.  While on a mobility lesson, 
I heard, as did the entire group of us, a very fine totally blind young 
lady, who had just graduated from the school the year previous, was killed. 
She was walking in a building, where she lived with her totally blind room 
mate.  With a familiarity of the building, they weren't carrying their white 
canes.  The elevator doors opened.  But, the elevator wasn't there.  Had 
they been carrying their canes, and had been using prescribed cane 
techniques, this horrible tragic accident might have been avoided.  Every 
day, sighted people also make decisions proving tragic to themselves.  But, 
there are always those around us, who, after such tragedies warn against 
possible contributing factors.  Which might have caused the accident, such 
as drinking to excess.  Or texting while driving.  Or not wearing safety 
belts.   An example being, a drug addict, may choose to continue to take 
drugs.  But, he must be discouraged from making such a negative choice. 
Because continuing along this path might lead to death.  All blind 
rehabilitation clients should be taught  proper etiquette.  That should he 
choose, he might use it.  As  proper manners enhances the highest opinions 
others might hold of him, and certainly will cause those whom he contacts to 
abandon more rapidly negative stereotypes.  which they might have held 
previously about blind individuals.  Proper manners are the oil greasing the 
path toward the highest success.  Without them, success is much more 
difficult to achieve.  The goal of rehabilitation of any challenged group 
ought to be to improve the chances of the individual clients maximum 
success.  It is much easier to discard them.  After they are learned   Than 
to require the knowledge of them, and to feel cheated.  Because they were 
never taught.  Their use also demonstrates a tangible consideration of 
others.  Not matched by much.  Which is why manners and proper etiquette 
were created. Whether or not we like it, some invisible electorate voted 
each of us blind individuals to be representatives of the entire blind 
community.  Though, there is no mandate we be stellar representatives of our 
community, it, indeed, improves our individual prospects.  If we do comport 
ourselves inn a manner which would cause the public to have a positive 
attitude toward blind people generally.  Because, the general public doesn't 
meet enough of us blind people to understand, fully, a bad representative 
doesn't represent the whole group.  This is true of all minority groups.  I 
suspect, when a minority group becomes large enough for those encountering a 
person with less than generally acceptable manners, to be understood by the 
public to understand his behavior is not, and should not, be representative 
of the whole group, that minority is successful in its attempt to assimilate 
fully.  We are not yet that large a minority group. The post to which I replyed follows:



>I say, get rid of the shades, or else make them optional!  No need putting
> all blind folks in the same boat, let each advance based on his or her
> capabilities, but deny exposure to none.  I don't care what training 
> centre
> I may find myself in, but I shall never wear any shades especially if they
> make me feel uncomfortable.  Sighted folks don't wear shades unless they
> choose to; so, why should I wear one against my wishes as a blind person?
>
> I should advance or progress at my own pace, not at some artificial pace 
> set
> by anyone else!  I am computer literate, 99% self thought through
> experimentation of my own.  I help a lot of sighted folks with
> computer-related issues.  I use a touchscreen smartphone in Android land.
> Some, blind and sighted alike, still want phones with regular keypads! 
> They
> each have a right to this choice; each will adjust and make other choices
> when their desired choice is no longer available.  A touchscreen phone was
> DAUNTING for me in the beginning; but, I kept throwing punches at it until 
> I
> got it to submit and now, we're the best of friends!  Yikes, I even send 
> and
> receive faxes on my Shiny touchscreen Android toy!  In a few months, I do
> plan to WALK AWAY completely from a Windows OS computer and its associated
> screen readers.  Why so?  Well, my preferred Windows Screen Reader went 
> out
> of business!  I have work to do and I won't pay somewhere between $200 to
> $250 per hour to have new scripts written for the apps I use for work 
> daily
> for any other screen reader.  I've found comparable apps in Android land,
> and their deployment is so much cheaper.  Besides, I am able to interact
> with app developers in Android land and have them make the necessary 
> changes
> that have rendered the apps I need more accessible.
>
> I don't agree that blindness is a characteristic; I never chose to be 
> blind,
> but, so what?  I am, and I'm comfortable with it!  The absent-mindedness 
> of
> sighted folks, young or old, always knocks my socks off my feet!  In my 
> home
> I mow my own lawn, turn on and off my own sprinkler systems and even set 
> its
> timer, use a flat top stove, flat screen microwave with no additional
> labels, use scrubbing bubbles to wash my three bathrooms, vacuum my 
> carpets
> with a regular vacuum cleaner, etc.  At a restaurant, if I am having
> difficulties with cutting my steak, heck, I tear them apar with my fingers
> and eat!  It's my food, I paid for it.  You can watch or stare at me all 
> day
> long, I am not bothered.  What matters is that I am doing that which works
> for me!  I do travel pretty well, familiar area or not, and I use a cane.
>
> My mannerisms DO NOT make me superior to myself or anyone!  I am open to
> learning anything and everything new, but I am not available for
> insults--cheap, expensive or priceless--on account of my blindness!
>
> Sincerely,
> Olusegun
> Denver, Colorado
>