[blindkid] question re shopping assistance

Kelley R imcollegebound2006 at hotmail.com
Thu Dec 10 00:40:09 UTC 2009


I've never really noticed  or thought about it until reading this email but grocery stores don't have braille price tags on shelves and such. What would it take to get stores to do that? it would help a lot towards independence of blind individuals.

kelley

> From: albert at myblindspot.org
> To: blindkid at nfbnet.org
> Date: Wed, 9 Dec 2009 16:45:30 -0500
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] question re shopping assistance
> 
> To further the accurate information presented by Carol, here is a response I
> got from a friend at the Department of Justice.  Sounds like we need to
> tighten the laws a little bit, though if short handed I can see where a
> store of lesser caliber and national presence might have problems lending
> assistance as needed.
> " Hi, Albert.  Retail establishments are covered under Title III of the
> Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Both as a matter of customer service
> and in keeping with what the law requires, if a person with a disability
> such as someone who is blind is in need of assistance by learning what the
> items are, being told of their price, being made aware of there is a sign
> that says that something is on sale, etc., that person may justifiably seek
> assistance.  The only possible defense by a business may surround the extent
> to which it is an undue burden, i.e., a significant difficulty or expense.
> For instance, if the store only has one check-out clerk available and there
> are a number of customers, then a reasonable request may entail obtaining
> assistance at an alternative time.  If a person wishes to spend hours at a
> department store, it would not be reasonable to expect the store to provide
> assistance during that full duration.  Essentially, the answer to your
> question is not fully cut and dry, because it depends on the individual
> circumstances of the situation.
> 
>  
> 
> Beyond whatever the law requires or does not require, Albert, the blind boy
> of which you speak should be taught independent skills that will enable him
> to optimize what he is able to do, both as a matter of empowerment and as a
> matter of practicality.  This boy should maximize ways to live life as free
> from the need from assistance as possible and, as assistance is sought,
> i.e., for the purpose of reading price tags, identifying and describing
> colors and styles of clothing, or learning the location of various parts of
> the department store, then he may move forward both with confidence and with
> a sense of independence, balancing between when he should be able to do
> things for himself (i.e., travel independently) and when he may need
> assistance with efforts relating to vision.
> 
>  
> 
> If this boy needs assistance with shopping, the bottom line is that there
> are a number of creative ways to get this done.  In addition to seeking
> assistance from the department store, he may enlist others in his life to be
> of help. The ultimate question is not just what a retail establishment is
> required to do but also the degree to which a person with a disability may
> do for himself or herself within the scope of personal responsibility.
> 
>  
> 
> These views here are my own and do not constitute any official opinion of
> the U.S. Department of Justice.  To read the regulations of ADA Title III
> requirements, visit:
> 
>  
> 
>                 http://www.ada.gov "
> 
> I hope this helps in some way.  
>  
> 
> 
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York  10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Carol Castellano
> Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2009 4:14 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] question re shopping assistance
> 
> The ADA is the law that ensures access to public accommodations by 
> people with disabilities and Sears is indeed a public 
> accommodation.  The law does not require any particular accommodation 
> to be provided; in fact, the wording in the law about accommodations 
> is very general.  So stores can choose the way they want to provide access.
> 
> It gets tricky because for most of the public, "access" means a 
> wheelchair can get through, and many in the public, including store 
> personnel, do not realize what other sorts of access might be called 
> for.  Perhaps calling the store in advance and finding a mutually 
> agreeable time for shopping assistance would be a workable solution.
> 
> Carol
> 
> At 08:58 AM 12/9/2009, you wrote:
> >This week my son's O&M lesson was at the mall where he was going to 
> >do his Christmas shopping. He has his list and his money and off he 
> >went with his O&M teacher. In each store he was to ask for 
> >assistance to look for the desired item. This went well in until 
> >they got to Sears. He went to customer service and requested someone 
> >to assist him to shop and was told that they did not have anyone to 
> >do that. When I asked what the O&M teacher said about that he stated 
> >he was told that there was nothing they could do about it as there 
> >is no law that says the store has to provide him with assistance. 
> >Now I am 99% sure that this is not correct. Can someone cite the law 
> >to me? Thanks.
> >
> >Susan
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >blindkid mailing list
> >blindkid at nfbnet.org
> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> >To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
> >for blindkid:
> >http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/blindchildren%40v
> erizon.net
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> blindkid mailing list
> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> blindkid:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/albert%40myblindsp
> ot.org
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> blindkid mailing list
> blindkid at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindkid_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for blindkid:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindkid_nfbnet.org/imcollegebound2006%40hotmail.com
 		 	   		  
_________________________________________________________________
Chat with Messenger straight from your Hotmail inbox.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/hotmail_bl1/hotmail_bl1.aspx?ocid=PID23879::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-ww:WM_IMHM_4:092009


More information about the BlindKid mailing list