[nfb-talk] FW: Interesting article on a new trial for signs in Australia

[Reyazuddin, Yasmin]

Hi Everyone, 

The following article was sent to me by a friend. Maybe the local county
government is considering placing Braille signage for street signs. 

I would like to know the federation thoughts on this topic. 

Yasmin Reyazuddin 
Aging & Disability Services 
Montgomery County Government 
Department of Health & Human Services 
401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor) 
Rockville MD 20850 
240-777-0311 (MC311) 
240-777-1556 (personal) 
240-777-1495 (fax) 
office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm 
Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille 

This message may contain protected health information or other
information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the
intended recipient, please contact the sender by return mail and destroy
any copies of this material. 

Thank you.

 

http://www.guidedogs.com.au/news-and-events/news/20-06-2013/sydneysiders
-with-impaired-vision-to-trial-new-braille-street-signs  

Top of Form

Sydneysiders with impaired vision to trial new Braille street signs

20 June, 2013

 

Walking around Sydney can be easy if you can see to read the street
signs, but imagine how you'd go if you were blind or vision impaired?

With the incidence of vision loss increasing, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT has
welcomed a City of Sydney initiative to trial Braille and tactile street
signs that provide people who are blind or vision impaired with
information on where they are.

 

Today, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT clients who use guide dogs or long canes to
help them get around will participate in the trial at Circular Quay. It
will involve them testing and providing feedback on the legibility of
prototype street signs that provide location information in Braille and
tactile raised lettering.

Guide Dogs NSW/ACT clients and Community Education staff have played a
key role in the City of Sydney's consultation process on the development
of the new Braille and tactile street signs, which will replace existing
signage that has worn-out from use since they were installed in the
1990s.

"The trial will ensure that the best possible Braille and tactile street
sign products and designs are used so that people who are blind or
vision impaired can easily and independently access the City of Sydney,"
says Jennifer Moon, Community Education Coordinator for Guide Dogs
NSW/ACT.

"The Braille and tactile street signs are an important enhancement to
the specialized work our Orientation and Mobility Instructors do. They
provide training to people with impaired vision that enables them to
move around their environments safely and on their own."

After the trial, it is proposed that a new network of Braille and
tactile street signs will be placed next to pedestrian crossing buttons
on traffic light poles through the CBD. They aim to give pedestrians
with vision loss the confidence that they will be able to 'orientate'
themselves throughout their journey and at their destination.

 

Guide dog handler Nicole Holmes (pictured above), who has been part of
the consultation process, knows only too well how important it is to
have the right Braille and tactile street signs in place.

"The ability to identify my location or where I am in such a busy city
like Sydney most importantly eases my stress while I'm trying to
negotiate the environment," says Nicole, whose vision is impaired due to
Retinopathy of Prematurity.

"Braille and tactile signage is also useful in reassuring me that I am
heading in the right direction to my destination so it complements the
assistance that I get from my long cane or guide dog. I'm really pleased
that the City of Sydney is trialing the Braille street signs because as
vision impairment can differ between people, we need to make sure the
end product will be useful for as many people with vision impairment as
possible."

Research predicts that the number of people in NSW and the ACT aged over
40 with impaired vision is set to rise to 100,000 by 2020 .

Each year, Guide Dogs NSW/ACT provides free services to almost 4,000
people of all ages and with any degree of vision loss that might impact
their ability to get around independently.

For more information about Guide Dogs NSW/Act's free services visit 
www.guidedogs.com.au or call 1800 804 805.
ENDS

MEDIA: Please contact: Sally Edgar, 0413 753 241 or 
media at guidedogs.com.au

ABOUT GUIDE DOGS NSW/ACT
Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is the leading provider of guide dogs and orientation
and mobility services to enable people with impaired vision to get
around their communities independently. Services include providing
training and aids including long canes, guide dogs and electronic travel
devices such as talking GPS technology. . Visit www.guidedogs.com.au,
call 1800 804 805, or follow us on Facebook
<http://www.facebook.com/guidedogsnswact?ref=hl>  or Twitter
<https://twitter.com/GuideDogsNSWACT> .

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