[blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to WalkwithCanes

[Mike Freeman]

Richard:

I'm going to go out on a limb here: I suspect that your daughter will 
*never* travel in as straight a line as you might wish. I know many a 
sighted person who has an absolute hizzy-fit if I deviate from what they 
perceive to be a straight line by more than a few millimeters! Ignored in 
all this is the (to me) relevant question: did I get where I was going 
more-or-less intact? The answer is usually yes.

A treadmill is a great device for exercise and a great way to read a talking 
book while doing that hateful thing of exercise (I'd much rather read than 
exercise). But obviously I would never claim any benefit for mobility other 
than building up stamina!

As I say, I think there's no further point in my discussing the issue. I 
guess were I a parent, I'd be *very* skeptical of *any* claims. Perhaps 
that's my cynical nature. (smile)

Peace!

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Holloway" <rholloway at gopbc.org>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 07, 2010 8:18 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Wii Device Teaches Visually Impaired to 
WalkwithCanes


> Your point is well taken Mike, but I suggest that any tool that may  offer 
> a chance to isolate even one particular aspect of an activity  that some 
> find challenging or frustrating (such a can travel) and  offer a chance to 
> improve that area may be useful and helpful for  some. My daughter, and I 
> suspect many of our kids who are cane  travelers, could certainly stand to 
> improve her straight-line travel,  just like she needs to learn to swim in 
> a straight line.
>
> What about just walking on a treadmill? Could we not make similar 
> arguments against using those? Where is the skill and challenge and 
> delightful experience of going for a walk on a treadmill? My daughter 
> loves to use a treadmill, but she doesn't use a cane for that (for  what I 
> suspect are obvious reasons). That doesn't make that a bad  thing for her. 
> In fact what it does is allows her to walk and build  muscle strength and 
> stamina far faster than when walking (at a much  slower pace) with her 
> cane.
>
> For my daughter, I say whatever helps any piece of her mobility  advance 
> is a good thing-- I know over time all these components will  mesh 
> together and all serve to help her become more independent and 
> successful.
>
> Richard
>
>
>
>
> On Jun 7, 2010, at 10:40 PM, Mike Freeman wrote:
>
>> I think part of the problem here is that those of us who oppose the  WII 
>> device are not making the reasons for our opposition clear -- at  least 
>> this applies to me. Use of a cane implies active determination  of 
>> terrain; ups and downs and textures tell us quite a bit about  what's 
>> around us and where we are with respect to our surroundings.  The WII 
>> device would give no such information so is, in our view,  almost worse 
>> than useless, however "fun" the device may be. One is  certainly 
>> practicing a skill when using the device but it surely  isn't cane 
>> travel.
>>
>> Mike
>
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