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

[Ray Foret jr]

I have.  As a rule, street signs tend to be mounted on poles and are quite high up:  more so than merely reaching a hand up would permit feeling.  That's another reason why Braille street signs ain't gonna work.


Sent from my mac, the only computer with full accessibility for the blind built-in!
Sincerely,
The Constantly Barefooted Ray
Still a very proud and happy Mac and Iphone user!

On Jul 22, 2013, at 2:38 PM, d m gina <dmgina at samobile.net> wrote:

> I have never seen a street sign, are they on the same pole as a light pole?
> That would be most entertaining.
> 
> Original message:
>> 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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