[Youth-outreach] {Disarmed} JI Newsletter - Curiosity and Exploration
Mark Riccobono
JerniganInstitute at nfb.org
Fri Aug 10 19:42:44 UTC 2012
IMAGINEERING OUR FUTURE
ISSUE 44 AUGUST 2012
IN THIS ISSUE:
* MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR [1]
* FEATURED NFB NEWS [2]
* EDUCATION [3]
* BRAILLE INITIATIVE [4]
* ADVOCACY [5]
* PRODUCT AND ACCESS TECHNOLOGY TALK [6]
* FROM THE TENBROEK LIBRARY [7]
* INDEPENDENCE MARKET [8]
* SPOTLIGHT ON THE IMAGINATION FUND [9]
* NFB CALENDAR [10]
* CITATION [11]
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Dear Friends,
__
__
_Mark Riccobono_
We recently completed the first NFB Project Innovation--a summer
program of inquiry-based learning where blind students chose their
own investigations and worked with blind mentors to complete and
present their findings. While eating lunch one afternoon, I listened
as two of our senior innovators (blind high school-aged students)
debated different approaches to constructing a space elevator. It
warmed my heart to observe this conversation--a result of our work to
inspire and engage blind youth in science, technology, engineering,
and math in ways that previously had not been imagined.
How is curiosity fueled and how do we help it not to burn out? I
thought about this earlier this week as I rocked my daughter to sleep,
and my son sat by my side to hear the story I was to tell. My daughter
asked to hear about Elmo. Any parent knows that it can sometimes be
challenging to generate new stories that are interesting to the
listener and the storyteller. I began to tell a fantastic tale about
how Elmo and his team of friends including Dr. Big Bird, Landing
Commander Cookie Monster, and Mission Specialist Count built a rover
to land on Mars. When I reached the end of the story, my daughter was
asleep (she is only two, after all) but my son was still engaged. I
asked him if he would like to watch the footage of the real landing of
NASA's Curiosity rover that had occurred earlier in the morning. We
pulled up YouTube and watched some of the videos of the seven minutes
of terror [12]. Austin was fascinated by the landing. He said he
definitely wants to be an engineer and a "spaceship flier" when he
grows up.
Unfortunately, we find blind young people every week who have been
conditioned out of their natural curiosity. What would happen if "wait
here" and "don't touch" were replaced with encouragement to move and
explore? A key element in improving the education of blind children is
to start with engaging rather than extinguishing their natural
curiosity. That is a significant part of the educational programming
of the NFB and our Jernigan Institute. We need to do more; and we need
to explore innovative methods to bring more tactile resources to blind
students. The Curiosity rover is now beaming back pictures from Mars
[13]. However, the display of data gathered from the rover does not
have to be visual. Data can be transformed into tactile models and
images. The data could be turned into different audio tones which
might reveal patterns that are not evident visually. If we had more
blind people engaged in the analysis of data coming from missions like
that which include the Curiosity rover, would we learn something new
about our universe?
I do not know if Austin or the two senior innovators who debated
space elevators will become engineers, mathematicians, or flight
specialists. What I do know is that the more we can keep their
curiosity burning, and the more we encourage them to have the
confidence to explore their interests (even into areas that have not
previously been explored), the greater the outcomes will be for them
and for the broader society. I am curious about what the future holds
for these young innovators and I appreciate that organizations like
NASA and the National Federation of the Blind are fueling the
curiosity of the next generation.
Sincerely,
Mark A. Riccobono, Executive Director
NFB Jernigan Institute
P.S. I would like to offer a challenge to each of you who receives
this newsletter. In an effort to spread the word about the essential
work we are doing in the National Federation of the Blind, I challenge
each of you to forward this message to at least one person and urge
them to subscribe to this newsletter. The more people who learn about
our work the more influence we have to create opportunities for the
blind. I am interested to know how much more curiosity about the
capacity of blind people we can spark by sharing the NFB vision for
the future.
NFB NEWS
Highlights from the 2012 National Convention
____ Dr. Marc Maurer
If you weren't able to attend the national convention in July, or if
you just want to enjoy the highpoints again, here are the links to Dr.
Marc Maurer's 2012 Presidential Report [14] and the banquet speech,
"The Intersection of Law and Love [15]". Both speeches are also
available in audio, as are the other speeches from the general
sessions, on the National Convention Highlights [16] page of the NFB
Web site.
October is Meet the Blind Month
Over a decade ago, the National Federation of the Blind designated
the month of October as Meet the Blind Month. This is our coordinated
nationwide campaign to increase awareness of and support for the NFB.
During Meet the Blind Month, NFB chapters and affiliates conduct a
variety of activities to spread the message of our organization
throughout local communities.
This person-to-person awareness campaign is designed to increase the
understanding that the National Federation of the Blind is the
country’s prominent membership organization of blind people and that
it is the recognized resource when it comes to vision loss, blindness,
and rehabilitation. While NFB affiliates are engaged in community
activities all twelve months of the year, Meet the Blind Month
provides a time for a nationwide focus on public awareness.
Each October, NFB members interact with the public in a number of
venues, providing outreach to groups and individuals, including those
who are losing or have lost vision. Some of the highlights of Meet
the Blind Month have included: community service events hosted by
local chapters, fashion shows featuring blind models, and a community
concert with the spotlight on blind performers as well as local music
sensations!
This year we are looking forward to another successful campaign. The
imagination, creativity, and eagerness of our members are always on
full display during October. Be sure to keep an eye out in your
area--you might discover one of our members hosting a literature
table, teaching a lesson to school children, or even reading a story
in Braille at library story time. You can follow @NFB_Voice [17] and
use the hashtag #MTBM12 on Twitter to keep up with the many exciting
events during October!
APPALACHIAN TRAIL HIKE
__
_Lou Ann Blake and Maurice Peret _
In July two members of the NFB of Maryland, Lou Ann Blake (Bum Knees)
and Maurice Peret (Blind Wanderer), successfully hiked the Maryland
section of the Appalachian Trail. Lou Ann, an employee of the NFB
working in the Jernigan Institute, and Maurice, a teacher of blind
adults, completed the hike to "raise awareness of what is possible
for individuals who are blind when the positive attitudes and high
expectations of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland (NFB
of Maryland) are coupled with proper training in the alternative
techniques of blindness". The forty-one mile route connects a string
of state parks, including a ridge crest section of South Mountain
State Park. The elevation along that portion of the trail ranges from
230 feet to 1,800 feet. More information can be found in the press
release [18].
This year is the seventy-fifth anniversary of the completion of the
Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), in
conjunction with other organizations, will be hosting a
celebration in Harper\'s Ferry, WV [19], on the weekend of August
11-12. A contingency from the Greater Baltimore chapter of the NFB
of Maryland, an affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind,
will be attending on Saturday, August 11, and marching in the parade.
EDUCATION
BRAILLE SYMPOSIUM
The National Federation of the Blind, a leading champion for Braille,
is excited to announce the NFB Braille Symposium, which will provide
professionals, blind people, and other interested parties with an
opportunity to learn about and discuss promising practices in Braille
instruction and teacher preparation in Braille. The symposium will
take place September 27-29, 2012, at the Jernigan Institute, and will
feature sessions in three formats: vignettes from blind people on how
Braille is being used today, presentation/discussion sessions on
promising practices, and problem-solving sessions.
Speakers will include leading experts who will discuss the most
innovative work that is being done on Braille today. Presentation
topics will include:
• teaching the Braille code efficiently and effectively
• providing high quality Braille instruction to blind adults
• current practices in Braille instruction at the university
level for future teachers of the blind
• integrating Braille instruction into the classroom reading
curriculum
• integrating Braille and print
Problem solution sessions will focus on:
• the large caseloads teachers have to manage
• setting up future teachers for success in their university
Braille courses while maintaining high standards
Visit the Braille Symposium Web page at www.nfb.org/BrlSym [20] to
register now. You will also find information on how to reserve a room
at the Holiday Inn Inner Harbor or at the NFBJI.
To participate in discussions about the Braille Symposium on Twitter
before, during, or after the event follow the hashtag #BrlSym.
PROJECT INNOVATION - THE STUDENTS
____ __ Aubrie Lucas making a battery from a potato
Last month, from July 24-29, the NFB Jernigan Institute was abuzz
with innovation for our latest STEM program—NFB Project Innovation
[21]. Eighteen Junior Innovators (third through sixth grades) and nine
Senior Innovators (ninth through twelfth grades) participated in the
NFB’s first-ever program incorporating student-initiated learning
and students from two different age groups. These twenty-seven
students represented nineteen affiliates including Puerto Rico.
The twenty-seven young people worked with the educators at the NFBJI
for the ten weeks leading up to the program to develop an
investigation of their choosing. During the program the students
conducted their investigations, making modifications as they
encountered barriers and unexpected variables, as often happens in
true inquiry-based science. Through this process the students learned
that failure does not have to be negative and that in science you are
more likely to fail than you are to succeed; but either way you will
learn information that will advance your work.
__
_Kyle Beasley and the Mentos project_
The Innovators loved having control over the content they learned at
the program. They left knowing that they have the capacity to take
control and be in charge of their own learning and, more importantly,
their lives. Watch out world, these young people are going to make
things happen!
In addition to learning a great deal of STEM content, the Senior
Innovators had the opportunity to develop their mentoring and
leadership skills. Senior Innovators helped the Junior Innovators work
through the challenges they faced while doing their investigations,
encouraged them during recreational activities like rock climbing, and
role-modeled the use of alternative techniques. All of the high-school
students shined in their mentoring role—even those who originally
thought they weren’t good at working with young children. We look
forward to having these young adults as mentors and leaders in the
organization for years to come.
PROJECT INNOVATION - THE PARENTS
__
_Parents learning cane travel_
While the student participants in NFB Project Innovation were hard at
work on their investigations, their chaperones were participating in a
separate seminar which included information and activities relevant to
parents and family members of blind children. The parent/family
education piece was organized by Carla McQuillan, an early-childhood
educator and long-time Federationist, and Kim Cunningham, who serves
as second vice president of the NFB’s National Organization of
Parents of Blind Children (NOPBC) and president of the Texas
Organization of Parents of Blind Children (TOPBC). Chaperones had the
opportunity to network with other parents as well as hear from blind
adults on a wide range of topics including access technology, cane
travel and what they wish their parents had known. Parents also had
the opportunity to participate in hands-on cooking-without-looking and
cane travel activities. The families spent an evening at Baltimore’s
Inner Harbor enjoying the sights and dining at local restaurants. The
highlight of the program was Innovation Expo, held Saturday afternoon,
when chaperones had the opportunity to see the projects the innovators
had been working on during the program. It was a pleasure to host
these families and we look forward to seeing them at future NFB
events.
BELL PROGRAM
Summer is ending and as it does, so ends the fourth year of the NFB
BELL program [22]. This summer we had more programs in more states
than ever before. The states ringing bells this summer were Colorado,
Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nebraska, North
Carolina, Texas, Utah and Virginia. Those eleven states held
twenty-one programs!
BELL, which stands for Braille Enrichment for Literacy and Learning,
is designed to provide intensive Braille instruction to blind and
low-vision children during the summer months. This program is meant to
serve students who are not currently receiving enough Braille
instruction in school or who could benefit from Braille enrichment
over the summer.
If you have any questions about the NFB BELL program or would like to
know how to make your state an NFB BELL state in 2013, please contact
Emily Gibbs at egibbs at nfb.org [23] or 410-659-9314 extension 2407.
BRAILLE INITIATIVE
BRAILLE CERTIFICATION TRAINING PROGRAM
Under a contract with the National Library Service for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress (NLS), the National
Federation of the Blind administers the courses leading to NLS
certification of Braille transcribers and proofreaders. Successful
completion of these rigorous courses requires a great deal of time and
effort on the part of the students. We congratulate the following
individuals, who earned certification during the month of June 2012:
LITERARY BRAILLE TRANSCRIBING
California
Ricardo Emilio Perez, Encino
DeWayne Searles Upshaw, Folsom
Sarah Marguerite Vaughn, Simi Valley
Georgia
David James Eatherly, Macon
Ladji Akil Ruffin, Macon
Indiana
Bradly Ervin, Bunker Hill
Samuel Lee Moore, Bunker Hill
Russell N. Small, Bunker Hill
Jacob Stoner, Bunker Hill
Kentucky
William Gene Freeman, Louisville
Massachusetts
Katherin Marie Halpin, Sommerville
Michigan
Tyler Colton, Jackson
Minnesota
Robin Durand, Minneapolis
Nevada
Catherine Ann Quigley, Las Vegas
New Jersey
Maureen Moniz, Convent Station
New York
Jean Wegman Blasioli, Spencerport
North Carolina
Charles L. Harris, Laurinburg
Oklahoma
Elpidio Cornejo, Sayre
Oregon
Rebecca Lynn Potterf, Salem
Texas
Linda Jean Branham, Gatesville
Louesa Williams Luckey, Gatesville
Donna Faye Moore, Borger
LITERARY BRAILLE PROOFREADING
Texas
James Shaffer, Pflugerville
Washington
Shonda Foster, Vancouver
MUSIC BRAILLE TRANSCRIBING
IOWA
Louis Jonathan Cutwright, Anamosa
ADVOCACY
TRUE GOOD WILL WIN IN THE END
Members of the National Federation of the Blind continue to fight the
antiquated perceptions that result in low expectations prohibiting
people with disabilities from reaching their full potential. For
years blind people have been discouraged and denied the opportunity to
receive the education and training necessary to be successful. There
have been limited opportunities for the blind to obtain employment in
any but the most menial jobs. As a result of the hard work of over
50,000 members of the National Federation of the Blind, we now have
blind lawyers, doctors, engineers, scientists, etc.
Still today, we are plagued with archaic laws and policies that
prohibit us from reaching the ambitious goals we set for ourselves.
Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (the same law that
guarantees American workers the federal minimum wage) allows the
Secretary of the United States Department of Labor to grant Special
Wage Certificates to employers, permitting them to pay their workers
with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. Under Section
14(c), there is an entire population of people who, based on their
characteristic of having a disability, are denied equal pay, effective
education and training services, security of wage protections, and the
fundamental liberty of opportunity supposedly guaranteed to every
American citizen.
This is a long-standing example of discrimination resulting from the
misunderstanding and lack of information about the capacity of people
with disabilities, which has been sustained by a warped sense of
compassion. Some say that there are those with such significant
disabilities that they cannot be productive employees. They assert
that allowing these poor unfortunate individuals to engage in some
type of work activity provides them with a sense of self-worth and
accomplishment. We disagree with this insulting condemnation of the
capacity of people with disabilities. It is our belief and our
experience that when they are provided the proper training and
support, all people--even those with significant disabilities--can
acquire a job skill deserving remuneration of at least the federal
minimum wage. Those who do not believe in the individual’s
employment capacity should not be charged with the responsibility of
providing employment services. Moreover, there is no sense of
self-worth or accomplishment when your vocational future is limited to
a segregated work environment earning pennies per hour.
Most people are simply unaware that it is legal to pay people with
disabilities less than the minimum wage. We will be working to end
this discriminatory practice by conducting public awareness
informational protests on August 25, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
local time at Goodwill Thrift Store locations across the country.
Goodwill, a household name and the self-proclaimed leader in providing
employment services for people with disabilities, pays their workers
with disabilities less than the federal minimum wage. Although most
Goodwill-affiliated agencies pay their workers with disabilities the
minimum wage, others have chosen to limit the vocational potential of
these individuals by paying them pennies per hour. The Goodwill
agencies that value their workers with disabilities by paying at least
the federal minimum wage are setting an example for the others to
follow, and they can provide the technical assistance necessary for
the others to adopt a similar business model that pays a competitive
wage to every employee. We are hopeful that the public pressure from
our informational protest will encourage Goodwill to adopt a corporate
policy to pay all of their workers with disabilities at least the
federal minimum wage and to assist in bringing this discriminatory
practice to an end.
As a charitable organization, the National Federation of the Blind
stands in stark contrast to those nonprofit organizations that profit
from their portrayal of people with disabilities as helpless, hopeless
individuals. Where as many organizations feel it is their
responsibility to be custodians of people with disabilities, the
National Federation of the Blind, an organization “of” blind
people, promotes the independence and full participation of the
blind. We will continue to fight the good fight for our full
participation, and the true good will win in the end.
PRODUCT AND ACCESS TECHNOLOGY TALK
August is the month when our Access Technology Team plans what will
happen in the fall and spring. With that in mind, we have created a
YouTube video to promote the Tactile Graphics Conference in November,
showing and telling why tactile graphics are so critical. It can be
viewed at http://nfb.org/sites/all/modules/civicrm/extern/url.php?u=455&qid=26544 [24].
In other areas, we’re revamping the International Braille and
Technology Center to bring it up to date--one end of the embosser area
is being changed over completely to improve efficiency when we’re
producing Braille, and to improve accessibility to those working in
and touring the area. Meanwhile at the other end of the IBTC we’re
replacing some of our dutiful but rather overwhelmed computers with
new, shiny black ones that will handle their workload more gracefully.
As we talk of updates, our other grand endeavor, the annual update of
the _Technology Resource List_, is once more in progress. Wish us
diligence and courage as we plough through all that is out there in
the way of access technology.
We also have a review up on our blog of Apple’s brand new Mountain
Lion OS for the Mac, highlighting what’s new, what’s good, and
what is less so. More blog posts on new releases will be up shortly.
FROM THE TENBROEK LIBRARY
__
_Braille books in the tenBroeck Library_
LOUIS BRAILLE LIVES AT THE TENBROEK LIBRARY!
Three and one-half years after his two-hundredth birthday, Louis
Braille’s life and achievements continue to be celebrated by blind
people around the world. And the tenBroek Library likewise
encourages appreciation of the man who made it possible for the blind
to read.
So where is the Braille material in the tenBroek Library?
When asked about the purpose of the tenBroek Library and why our
collection is largely ink-print, Jernigan Institute staff members
distinguish between the mission of the tenBroek Library—which is to
develop a research collection about blindness and blind people—and
that of the national network of libraries for the blind—which
provide reading material in accessible formats, including Braille. (Of
course, this distinction is becoming less relevant as more
information is available in digital formats—but that’s another
story.)
While we don’t seek out Braille material on just any subject (which
is what the NLS network does), we do acquire books and periodicals in
Braille that are about blindness and blind people. Our cataloging
librarian, Carolyn Baron, has recently been processing the books in
our Braille collection, some of which are not readily available
elsewhere and all of which can be consulted by visitors to the
Jernigan Institute.
____ __ Tactile Portrait of Louis Braille
We also continue to celebrate Louis Braille in our exhibit area. On
a table near the cataloged Braille books are a tactile portrait of
Louis Braille in profile and a model of the Louis Braille birthplace
(the subject of a fine article by Kenneth Jernigan [25]). The
portrait is one of two hundred copies crafted by Ann Cunningham, our
colleague at the Colorado Center for the Blind.
Speaking of Ann Cunningham, we’re always pleased to have on display
her tactile panel celebrating the 2009 Louis Braille bicentennial
dollar coin and its travel to the International Space Station.
Ann’s other work on display here includes her five panels depicting
Erik Weihenmayer’s ascent of Mount Everest and her tactile portrait
of Jacobus tenBroek.
When visiting the Jernigan Institute, please come to the tenBroek
Library and partake of our tactile exhibits and Braille books.
Although most of our resources are in print (and, increasingly, in
digital formats), we do love Louis Braille!
INDEPENDENCE MARKET
NEW PRODUCTS AT THE INDEPENDENCE MARKET
In the last Imagineering newsletter we shared information about some
of the new products available from the National Federation of the
Blind Independence Market. These objects were showcased at our
national convention in Dallas, Texas, this past July. As a service to
our members and the general public, the NFB Independence Market sells
low-tech items which enhance the independence of blind individuals. As
promised, here are details about more new product offerings.
____ __ Talking Kitchen Scale
Talking Kitchen Scale--Vox 3000 [26]:
This scale can weigh up to 6.6 pounds (3,000 grams). Items can be
weighed on the weighing platform or in the plastic bowl, which is
included. The bowl has a capacity of six cups. The scale also features
a tare function, which allows the user to zero out the weight already
on the scale. AIK40T; $35.00
Drawing Board
Sensational Blackboard Raised Line Drawing Board [27]:
Use the Sensational Blackboard with standard copy paper and a pen or
stylus to easily create raised line drawings. Designed by Anne
Cunningham, this drawing board measures 9 by 11 1/2 inches. AIL26B;
$30.00
____ __ Diabetic Logbook
Diabetic Logbook--Large Print [28] (set of three):
Use these handy logbooks to keep track of daily blood glucose levels,
diabetes medications and carbohydrates. Each booklet has thirty-one
pages, one for every day of the month, as well as a two-page exercise
log. AIL36L; $8.00
____ Folding, 7-Section Carbon Fiber Cane
NFB Type 8 Folding, 7-Section Carbon Fiber Cane [29]: At last
year's national convention the NFB introduced a new seven-section,
carbon fiber, folding white cane, which became an instant hit. These
lightweight, well-balanced canes feature an easy-grip handle and a
metal glide tip. This year we added two shorter and two longer
canes. These folding canes are now available in lengths ranging from
fifty-one to sixty-five inches, in two-inch increments. ACJ##F; $40.00
For more information, please e-mail us at independencemarket at nfb.org
[30] or call us at 410-659-9314 extension 2216. One of our staff
members will be happy to assist you Monday through Friday from 8:00 am
to 5:00 pm Eastern Time. You may also request a print or Braille list
of items that were new at this year's convention, or a complete
catalog in various formats.
THE _IMAGINATION FUND_
MAKING THE MAGIC HAPPEN!
We’re continuing our Text-to-Give campaign. The seventy texts we
received at national convention were a good lead into the effort this
fall at the state conventions. For those of you attending one of
these gatherings, you will learn how you can help spread the word
about the campaign. Donations to the Imagination Fund go toward
supporting programs at the Jernigan Institute, as well as those in
local affiliates. Additionally, these funds are used to provide
substantial grants to various affiliates and divisions for special
projects. Remember, this funding doesn’t happen by magic, although
magic things happen when we fund our programs!
But don't wait until the state convention—you can text BLIND to
85944 to make a $10 donation to the Imagination Fund now!
NFB CALENDAR
UPCOMING EVENTS
Braille Symposium [31]– September 27–30, 2012
Tactile Graphics Conference [32]– November 30-December 1, 2012
NFB AFFILIATE CONVENTIONS
NFB of West Virginia [33] Convention - August 3-5, 2012
NFB of South Carolina [34]Convention - August 10-12, 2012
NFB of North Carolina [35]Convention - September 6-9, 2012
NFB of Arizona [36]Convention - September 7-9, 2012
NFB of Iowa [37]Convention - September 28-30, 2012
NFB of Kentucky [38]Convention - September 28-30, 2012
NFB of Hawaii [39]Convention - September 29-30, 2012
NFB of Alaska [40]Convention - October 5-6, 2012
NFB of Arkansas [41]Convention - October 5-7, 2012
NFB of Illinois [42] Convention - October 5-7, 2012
NFB of Nebraska [43]Convention - October 11-14, 2012
NFB of California [44]Convention - October 18-21, 2012
NFB of District of Columbia [45]Convention - October 19-21, 2012
NFB of Indiana [46] Convention - October 19-21, 2012
NFB of Michigan [47]Convention - October 19-21, 2012
NFB of Washington [48] Convention - October 19-21, 2012
NFB of Colorado [49]Convention - October 25-28, 2012
NFB of Minnesota [50] Convention - October 26-28, 2012
NFB of Oregon [51] Convention - October 26-28, 2012
NFB of Maine [52]Convention - October 27, 2012
NFB of Connecticut [53] Convention - November 2-4, 2012
NFB of Georgia [54] Convention - November 2-4, 2012
NFB of Kansas [55]Convention - November 9-11, 2012
Montana Association for the Blind [56]Convention - November 2-4, 2012
NFB of Nevada [57]Convention - November 2-4, 2012
NFB of Ohio [58]Convention - November 2-4, 2012
NFB of Pennsylvania [59]Convention - November 2-4, 2012
NFB of Virginia [60]Convention - November 2-4, 2012
NFB of Maryland [61] Convention - November 9-11, 2012
NFB of New Jersey [62]Convention - November 9-11, 2012
NFB of New York [63]Convention - November 9-11, 2012
NFB of Texas [64]Convention - November 9-11, 2012
NFB of Puerto Rico [65]Convention - November 11, 2012
CITATION
Nothing would help blind children more than being taught the
techniques and pleasures of exploration--touch, sound, taste, smell,
and whatever vision remains. It is hard to be curious about things if
we do not know what those things are like. It is hard to avoid dangers
if we are unable to interpret the cues our senses provide about our
surroundings. It is hard to gain a sense of aesthetics if we feel,
listen, taste, or smell carelessly and casually. And it is hard to get
a job if we lack the skills to gain and process information by
effective reading and effective use and interpretation of our senses.
We must make exploration a habit, a good habit, a pleasant and
rewarding habit. We must educate parents, teachers, and the blind
themselves how to observe with the mind engaged. This is not rocket
science; in fact, it requires no technology at all other than the
biological technology we have inherited from our evolutionary
ancestors. How can anything be more important?
--Dr. Geerat J. Vermeij, "Teaching Exploration: Correcting a Glaring
Flaw in the Education Of Blind Children [66]." _Braille Monitor_, Vol.
47, No. 9, October, 2004.
.
Thank you for reading the NFB Jernigan Institute’s _Imagineering Our
Future_.
Help make a significant difference in the lives of blind people
across the country.
MAKE A GIFT TODAY [67]
Back to Top [68]
IF THIS ISSUE WAS FORWARDED TO YOU AND YOU’D LIKE TO SUBSCRIBE,
PLEASE E-MAIL [69]JERNIGANINSTITUTE at NFB.ORG [70].
Support the Jernigan Institute through the _Imagination Fund_ [71]
INTERESTING LINKS:
Archive of Straight Talk About Vision Loss Videos [72]
National Center for Blind Youth in Science [73]
Access Technology Tips [74]
TeachBlindStudents.org [75]
BLOGS:
Access Technology [76]
Voice of the Nation’s Blind [77]
PUBLICATION ARCHIVES:
_Future Reflections [78]_
_Braille Monitor [79]_
Jernigan Institute, National Federation of the Blind
200 East Wells Street _at Jernigan Place_
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 659-9314 Fax (410) 659-5129
E-mail JerniganInstitute at nfb.org [80]
Visit us at www.nfb.org
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for Charity Accountability set forth by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance
and is Top-Rated by the American Institute of Philanthropy.
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