[nabs-l] Training centers not the real world

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

Huge difference between schools for the blind and training centers for
the blind. Theoretically, not necessary to send children to schools for
the blind. If a child has the appropriate skills to learn, Braille,
travel skill of some kind, adaptive technology, they should be able to
survive in any learning environment as long as proper accomodations are
made available. A training center though, is a place where adults spend
a short amount of time learning nonvisual skills so they can go back to
the so-called real world and live, work and learn alongside sighted
people.

Having lost my sight at the age of 22, I would not have finished my
degree, married or have a child without a training center for the blind.
In order to live my life and do things as efficiently as I did when
sighted, I require tools like Braille, white cane travel and the use of
a screenreader, not to mention various methods picked up and developed
in the last ten years since losing my vision. I spent nine months
learning these nonvisual skills then went back to my life, finishing my
degree. I also married and now am the mommy of a very active 14
month-old son, and being a stay-at-home mom, I would not be able to
handle this without having learned nonvisual tools.

So if you know of a way for blind people to learn nonvisual skills
outside of a training center, with the help of those who work in such
centers, please enlighten us.

Bridgit
Message: 10
Date: Sun, 10 Nov 2013 21:48:33 -0500
From: "RJ Sandefur" <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
	<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [nabs-l] Training centers not the real world
Message-ID: <008f01cede88$83784960$0902a8c0 at S0032244625>
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Why do we send blind people to training centers? Why do we send blind
people to "schools for the blind" We as blind people live in the real
world,Why do we do it? You don't see mom sending Johnny who has autism
to aschool for autistic kids!