[blindkid] ADA Question

Fri Mar 14 19:38:20 UTC 2014

I agree that we all need to know these things.  I began working with
people with physical disabilities in the 1980's and the focus then was
on ramps, doorways and other accomodations for people who needed those
accomodations.  When the ADA first became law I didn't think much of
it applied to me.  I had learned to move through the environment using
techniques I had acquired over many years.  Recently, I have been in
many buildings that have braille on elevators and near doors.  I
really love that information.  It improves the techniques I use.  It
is time blind people start demanding the accomodations that will make
our independent travel easier. The first step is to know what those
laws are so we can talk about it with confidence.

On 3/14/14, Dan Burke <dburke at cocenter.org> wrote:
> There is a requirement to identify and systematically remove barriers, and
> it would include putting up Braille signage.  It has nothing to do with how
> old the buildings are.  That's just bunk.
>
> Unfortunately, blind adults and parents of blind kids have this same thing
> in common - too often we just have to know more than the professionals we
> meet to get things on the right track.
>
> Dan
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Carol
> Castellano
> Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 3:33 PM
> To: Blind Kid Mailing List, (for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] ADA Question
>
> Hi Alyssa,
>
> Here's a link to the actual law.  http://www.ada.gov/reg3a.html
>
> You can search for the word Braille (31 references to it) and then see
> exactly what the law says.  If you find there is a requirement you can begin
> advocating for the school to fulfill it.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Carol
>
> Carol Castellano
> Parents of Blind Children-NJ
> Director of Programs
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> 973-377-0976
> carol_castellano at verizon.net
> www.blindchildren.org
> www.nfb.org/parents-and-teachers
>
> At 04:50 PM 3/13/2014, you wrote:
>>Hello all. Unfortunately, I've found the lack of signage to be an even
>>bigger problem on college campuses than anywhere else. I attend
>>Northern Illinois University which has been around for quite some time.
>>Many of the buildings were built before the ADA was established. With
>>that being said, I discussed this problem with the school's diss
>>ability office. They told me these places do not have to make the
>>changes unless the place is reconstructed. As a result, I've had to
>>collaborate with the Braille consultant at the disability office to put
>>labels where I need them. Do I have to accept that? I know I'm not the
>>only blind student on this campus.
>>It's also a surprise since this school has one of the two TVI programs
>>in the state. So is there anything I can legally do?
>>Alyssa
>>
>>Sent from my iPhone
>>
>> > On Mar 13, 2014, at 2:46 PM, Marianne Denning
>> <marianne at denningweb.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > I know several O&M instructors who don't encourage the low vision
>> > students to carry a cane.  I must admit, even with the extremely low
>> > vision I once had, I did not carry a cane and then when I did it was
>> > only for identification when I crossed a street.  Confessions of a
>> > blind woman.  I know how they feel.  We need to be proud of being
>> > blind even when society tells us we should be ashamed of it.
>> >
>> > I love braille signage even though I grew up without it.  It is
>> > really helpful, even when I think I know where I am.  I use it to
>> > confirm that I am in the right place. But if I don't have signage I
>> > use other information.
>> >
>> >> On 3/13/14, Richard Holloway <rholloway at gopbc.org> wrote:
>> >> I don't doubt that is true. I can't imagine that will ever change.
>> >> We stopped making the braille signage into a battle long ago at the
>> school. It
>> >> is almost laughable how many times the school has defensively
>> announced they
>> >> are working in the signs without our further inquiry. They know
>> >> we'd like the problem fixed, but as I mentioned I will focus on
>> >> more pressing needs like substandard textbook solutions, and
>> >> required web sites which are not accessible.
>> >>
>> >> Our personal signage concern is MUCH more about a new unfamiliar
>> >> (and also
>> >> larger) school (we change to middle school next year). We looked
>> at several
>> >> schools. I believe the one with the defective permanent Braille
>> signs is the
>> >> middle school the county prefers blind students to attend-- the
>> one with the
>> >> resource room. But they mostly have low vision kids there (as far
>> >> as VI
>> >> kids) and a lot of these students won't even carry canes, let
>> alone read any
>> >> Braille signs, we are told.
>> >>
>> >> Perhaps, in their minds, this is not a big deal. I do not agree
>> >> with their lax position. This does not motivate or impress me. How
>> >> do they plan to foster independence for VI students when the kids
>> >> are allowed to be apathetic about reading door signs on their own,
>> >> and refuse to use their white canes?
>> >>
>> >> As you may have surmised, this particular school is not towards the
>> >> top of the list of schools for our child.
>> >>
>> >>    -RH
>> >>
>> >>> Adults who are blind have to pick their battles too.
>> >>
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>> >
>> >
>> > --
>> > Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
>> > Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
>> > (513) 607-6053
>> >
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-- 
Marianne Denning, TVI, MA
Teacher of students who are blind or visually impaired
(513) 607-6053