Voting Day Blues

I have been very hyped about this election. Why?  I have chomped at the bit in anticipation of dramatically and meaningfully casting my inaccessible ballot at the polling station. Let me remind you about the core elements of a democratic vote; secret, independent and verifiable. I have gone on and on, to EVERYONE who will listen and to some who won’t, about the importance of these elements, the sanctity of the electoral process, and how I am denied this right by virtue of inaction on the part of Elections Canada. I am blind, as are hundreds of thousands of other voters. We do not have electronic voting in Canada. We do not have telephone voting. We do not have voting machines at the polls. We do not have Braille ballots. I thought that today I would be pumped and ready to let loose my schpeel at the Presbyterian church where I would be voting. I ran through my dialogue, my diatribe, my kvetching complaint, like a Shakespearean actor preparing for Stratford.

Here’s what really happened. I made it to the church, and found myself outside with a woman in a wheelchair attempting to open a monstrously large door (no automatic opener). I opened it for her, but it was not wide enough. A worker from the poll came and helped to open another door. I commented wryly about Elections Canada and their accessible voting sites. She commiserated. By this point, I had, for some reason, already lost my oomph.  Maybe it’s the time of year, or ‘my time of the month’.  Some one came over as Opal and I walked into the large church basement. The usual useless pointing and “over there” was followed by an arm-grab which I yanked away.  Someone else gave sensible directions to the table I needed.  My ID was requested and checked.  I did NOT give a long-winded lecture on the difficulty blind people have in meeting ID requirements, given that we don’t have driver’s license and many of us have no passport. Some of us choose not to have or use a charitable ID (CNIB) for reasons which are too numerous and complicated for this blog.  I provided my stunning photo ID cards which have a photo of Opal and me posing together (CGDB and the Attorney General of Ontario), but my Guide dog ID cards do not have my address on them, so I added a phone bill. I had considered bringing a Braille bill, but I did not want to be turned away. At this point, the DRO asked if I wanted a Braille template. My interest peaked, as I thought I had discussed this ad nauseum with Silvestre from elections Canada and had confirmed there would be no Braille on the ballot, and to expect the usual flaky template. Now I had no idea what they were offering me.  I asked (just to confuse them) if it was contracted or uncontracted Braille. The had no clue, so I let them off the hook and told them that I knew both, so it did’nt matter.  The DRO put the ballot into the ‘Braille template’ and then came the offer to “come into the voting area with you”. I said I would pass, given that I had this allegedly accessible Braille template in my hand.  Opal and I parked ourselves behind the privacy screen at a little table. I started to read the template. Numbers. Just numbers! I called out, “um, there’s no names here, just numbers”.  The old lady who had grabbed me when I came in, offered to read the names to me. I said that would not do. The DRO guy came over and offered to read them “as they appear in sequence. then you pick the braille number”, he said with full expectation that somehow this would be acceptable to me. I had PLANNED to make a big ‘to-do’, maybe proclaim myself the Rosa Parks of the voting blind, given that I am repeatedly told that blind people ‘have found this acceptable for years’. Instead, I told him “no thanks”, and ” if I can’t read it for myself”…( in a country where government material must be provided in alternate formats by law),  “I’ll have to  spoil my ballot”. He apologised (as everyone always does). I scrawled multiple X’s in allthe holes in my template and ballot and handed it to the old lady. She wisely did not attempt to go into the  insufferably patronizing routine of allowing me to put it in the box, but quickly disposed of it, stuffing it into the ballot box herself.   I walked out, declining someone’s eager offer for me to use the elevator, saying, “my legs are fine, we’ll use the stairs”. I left deflated.   I did not call the media, or my party delegate, or the PM (who doesn’t give a flying f…k anyway), or the queen, or Silvestre at Elections Canada (who I’m guessing was pretty busy today). Instead, I went for my routine blood work and called it a day. I wish I was one of those clever musicians, ’cause I’d be writing a tune tonight…’Voting Day Blues’.

STOP PRESS!!! Megan Leslie, newbie NDP canditate and personal acquaiantance declared winner of Halifax riding! Go get em in Ottawa, kid…and remember your roots…and your blind friends…

Big Al To The Rescue!!!!

Big Al  (AKA ‘Aluion’) is reportedly heading for Canada today. Upon learning about the plight of Blend (Blind) Canadians as they face an inaccessible voting non-machine on Tuesday, Big Al, a resident of Alabama,  boarded a Greyhound bus bound for Nova Scotia at 4 am this morning.  There was some confusion at the bus depot in Mobile, as Big Al dumped a 63- pound  sackful of Canadian coins onto the ticket agent’s counter to pay for his fare. Further disruption  occurred when bus terminal Security spotted him donning an outfit that included hockey equipment and pieces of a 17th century suit of armour.  He claimed that he needed to feel safe and to protect himself while riding the Greyhound, saying, “I can’t be losing my head on this trip”.

Wise Advice summoned Big Al to the Great White North, upon learning that his expertise might bolster the cause of the blind (blend) {See recent comments from Aluion} and lend support to her plan to ‘make a point’ when casting her ballot tomorrow. Big Al has been known to write clever comments and insults on doors in public spaces…in Braille. “He kinda scares me”, said Wise Advice of the southern guru, “Definitely a smart guy, but he must be crazy from listening to several synthesised speech voices on various computers simultaneously”. When asked about her plan to bring public  attention to the inaccessibility of the Canadian Election, WIse Advice said, “Look, I can’t do this alone. If Big Al can fake a Canadian accent, we’ll get him one of those spare ballots floating around to do whatever he chooses with”.

Eve Of Destruction

I love those sixties tunes mum plays. Protest songs are big in our house (go figure!). Sometimes, mum plays a song by Barry McGuire called, “Eve of Destruction”.  I wasn’t around in the sixties, so I don’t really understand what the words mean, but I’ve been trying to figure them out.   …”The eastern world it is exploding…”  That’s probably about the nutty cannon they set off at noon every day on Citadel Hill here in Halifax. It’s soooo loud and  scares me every time!  Then, there’s the part  “If the button is pushed, there’s no running away…” I’m pretty sure that means that when I find the button and mum presses it to call the lift (elevator), we must wait for the door to open, right?  and, “You tell me over and over and over again my friend, ah, you don’t believe we’re on the eve of destruction?…” Now THAT’S gotta be about the way my mum KNOWS that in the morning, I am going to try to get her attention by grabbing the Braille phone bill and  ripping it  to shreds. Then she’s going to shake her head and say, “Hey, Destructo! I don’t believe you just trashed my Aliant bill”.

Accessible Voting–I’ll Vote For That!

The electoral process is still held in high regard by most of society. The right to participate in the democratic process has been hard fought by many groups. It continues to be fought in countries such as Zimbabwe.  Some Canadians take for granted the opportunity to participate FULLY in the democratic voting process.  This includes seeking nomination as a candidate, participating in candidate meetings, informing oneself about the party platforms, voting in secret, and being able to independently verify how one voted.   My parents instilled in me a healthy sense of responsibility about my ‘duty’ to vote. I have done so, at all levels of government, since I reached the age of majority. I have voted by proxy when I was out of the country. I have struggled to the polls on crutches.  There are three components that are essential to voting: 

1. Secrecy: privacy
2. Independent: without assistance from another person to choose and mark your choice.
3. Verification: being able to check how you voted after you have marked it.

Voting has become more accessible for people who are disabled, however, it remains unacceptably inaccessible for most people who are blind, deaf-blind, or partially sighted.  Most often, a template is offered, but this offers no means of verification. Blind people usually must depend on voting with another person to set up the template etc.. Braille ballots are sometimes available, but Braille is not used by over 80% of adult people who are blind.  Some jurisdictions are attempting alternative means of voting for the blind. These include using on-site computers with audio, tactile, sip and puff interfaces which make it possible for people who are blind or quadriplegic to vote independently. Electronic (Internet) voting is also being tried (Halifax’s next municipal election will allow people to vote over the Net or with a cell phone and a pin number which they will receive in the mail). Intelivote Systems of Dartmouth NS is working to convince cities in Canada that electronic voting will increase voting stats, particularly with younger voters.  It also has environmental appeal. Me? I prefer the on-site buzz at the polls. BUT, I want to see the next provincial election here, to be fully accessible to me and others who have vision loss. I want the candidates to provide me and others who are partially sighted with their platform and  ’pitch’ in alternate formats. I want to go to the polls and be given an accessible list of candidates names on the ballot (in Braille, audio electronic or large print) and I want to vote ALONE, and to CHECK MY CHOICE on my ballot MYSELF before I put it in the box. Tomorrow, I meet with my MLA, Graham Steele and a representative from the Elections Nova Scotia. Hmm. 

Equitable Library Service in Canada—We’re Still Waiting

I recently attended the Annual General Meeting of the Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians in Toronto. A lively debate ensued when a  Library and Archives Canada representative updated us on the Initiative for Equitable Library Service (IELA). The IELA web site claims that their mandate is to “create the conditions for sustainable and equitable library access for Canadians with print disabilities” .  There are over three million Canadians (10%)  who can not read print because of visual, perceptual or physical disability. We require publications in alternate formats, such as Braille, Large print, audio and electronic text. IELA’s stats indicate that only 5% (five) of all  published Canadian material is available in multiple formats. We provided our opinion on what we would like to see in the Canadian public library system (again).  It seems that we are often consulted, but I have to wonder why we are still waiting for change. The endless rhetoric about ’stakeholders’ is getting stale. Robin East, Alliance for Equality of Blind Canadians president, echoed my sentiments when he stated that “we are not stakeholders…we are rights holders”. The difference?:  The erroneous  mindset that blind people deserve consultation in the process of achieving equitable library service in Canada instead of the more accurate belief that blind people have the RIGHT to equitable library service. What do I personally feel I have a right to find when I walk into a public library in Canada? Here’s my list.  I suggest that the rights of the blind to equitable library service be honoured very quickly…before we become an ultra-organized force with a common judicial application forcing the change we have RIGHTS to.

• I want books made available to me in any format I choose: audio, Braille, electronic and large print.
• I like audio books. The publishing industry needs to realize that the audio version of ANY BOOK PUBLISHED must be released simultaneously in audio format. If that means forcing the Canadian government to amend copyright and publishing legislation, that is what we must all support. 
• Audio books must be unabridged….I don’t like half a book.
• Release the stranglehold you have on independent  multiple format information producers in Canada. They are the answer to filling the gap by providing multiple format information; Braille transcription, audio books, etc.
• Provide accessible technology within the library; computers with screen-reading software, scanners, braille printers, CCTV’s, etc.
• Someone needs to know how to use, troubleshoot, and teach the use of all of the above equipment. 
• Make your catalogue accessible within the library. IE. I can use your website at home to search for something, but once I’m in your library, I am unfortunately forced to rely on your staff.
• Update your large print collections. People across the country are complaining about small, outdated, and dog-eared LP books collections. Put your large print collection in an area with good lighting.
• Your audio books must have Braille and large print labeling.  I want to  ’browse’ the books like other patrons. As it is now, I must rely on a staff person to be available to read the titles and descriptions for me.
• Libraries are big on displaying community information. the bulletin boards, notices, guides, pamphlets must be made available to everyone. How about an information line linked into your phone system? Tweak a grant or student placement to provide for  conversion of  information pamphlets and guides into audio, Braille and large print.
• Sometimes, your accessible computer is nowhere near the reference materials. Ensure easier physical access to this technology.
• Train your staff and employees to be ’sensitive’ (I hate that term) to the needs of blind and partially sighted patrons.
• Blind students have a hard time finding accessible  research materials in a timely manner. It is not up to the ‘charitable library’ (AKA CNIB)  to provide everything. (they do a poor job anyway). Publishers, particularly of textbooks must realize that audio/electronically-generated information often ignores describing or interpreting  graphs, scales diagrams, photographs and tables. This information is critical if education is to fair and equitable. 

I’ve just started a list. I hope to hear from others. 

 

Opal goes to Sunday school

Actually,  Universalist Unitarians call it RE or Religious Education.  There are no Bible studies and I don’t think there is anything particular religious about it.  UU kids learn about many things with the hope that it prepares them to become good human beings and citizens who care about others.  Today, Opal and I visited with the kids ‘upstairs’.  Our church is housed in a historic building. Originally, it had been two large, private homes with several staircases and many rooms of all sizes.  We had pre-arranged our visit with the RE teacher.  The number of kids in the RE class varies from week to week. Today, there were ten or so. They ranged in age between 2 and 10. Opal knew something was going to be different the minute we entered church.  She wanted to take me to ‘my seat’, but I coaxed her to the front row. We sat on the floor with the young ones during the ‘Story For All Ages’.  Then, when the congregation began to sing, “Go Now In Peace”, to usher the kids out of the room where the service is held,  I asked her to “follow”.  Up the multiple stairways that twist and turn we went  with a backpack full of ’stuff’.  We often go to schools to talk to kids about Guide dog etiquette and also about vision loss and ‘blind stuff’.  The difference today, was the age spread of our audience.  It’s difficult to keep things simple enough for everyone to understand.  Still, I think it was a good learning experience for them.  The first question was, “what happens if Opal becomes blind”?    This, oddly enough, is not the first time I have been asked this or something similar. I was once asked, if Opal’s mom had been blind.   Other questions have included, “Does she take a bath with you?”, “Does she chase cats?”, and “Will she always be your dog?”.  Jordan (the one who asked about Opal going blind) was tenacious.  Her follow up question was, “Would she still be able to work if she was blind?”  Once we established how unlikely that would be to occur, we talked about Opal’s job and why she must be allowed to concentrate.  I must confess, I had an ulterior motive in planning to  visit the kids… I have noticed that several of them come up and pat and talk to Opal as we are walking through the crowded church entry area and fellowship room.  My solution?  Be proactive and chat them up and sort them out as a group.  I offered ourselves as guest speakers, and the RE teacher was delighted to plan for our visit. ( I do most of the talking. Opal is the silent type).  The culprits who pat her, may or may not have been present today,  but kids tend to share their information with each other.   I hope so.  It’s always surprising for kids (and adults) to learn that the approximate cost of putting a Guide dog into the hands of a blind person, is in excess of $35,000.00.  We also brought gadgets which usually interest kids.  The talking calculator drew some “Neat!”s. The Braille kids books were also interesting for some.  I pointed out that blind people do not all know Braille but I find it very useful.  Out came the Braille tags which are used to put on clothing, the labeler to create stick on labels, and examples of a Braille phone bill and bank statement.  They peered through the vision simulator cards I had brought. These are plastic cards with circles to peer through, with each circle providing a simulation of what things might l0ok like with diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, cataracts or glaucoma.  Opal, meanwhile had a power nap.  She woke up periodicaly to comfort the little guy (2 years old) who was in the care of a family friend today (not too happy to away from mom).  When the service downstairs could be heard wrapping up,  the kids began to collect their things. Opal and I  packed up and left to find one of the many twisty stairways down to the ground floor.  We ended up in the fellowship room where everyone usually gathers to shares tea and coffee after the service. At least three older ladies and one man asked to pet Opal.   I realized that our work was not done yet!  Finally, I decided to have EVERYONE who wanted, a chance to greet her…”Get it out of your system today” I suggested. The UU church dog lovers gave her a pat or two and thanked me.  They said they would be OK from now on. I’m not entirely convinced.  We may end up having a similar talk on Guide dog etiquette  with the grown ups some time. 

Braille and the ‘Braille Crisis’

What is Braille?  Braille is a system of  6 raised dots, arranged in combinations in two vertical lines. There are 63 combinations. The space they occupy is called the Braille cell.  The positions of the dots within the cell are identified by a specific number;  top left is #1, middle left is #2,  bottom left is #3, top right is #4, middle right is #5, and bottom right is #6. Louis Braille was born near Paris in 1809.  His father was a shoemaker.  One day,  at age four,  while Louis was playing with a tool for punching holes in leather (awl), he ended up piercing  his eye.  The other eye soon became infected, and he lost all his vision.  He was sent to a school for the blind in Paris.   In 1821, a man named Charles Barbier visited the school.  He showed the kids his communication system called, ‘Nightwriting’. It had been developed for soldiers to pass information to one another at night.  While it failed for the French military, it did give Louis the idea to develop its use for the blind in 1827.  He expanded it to include codes for math(Nemeth) and music notation.  Braille would not become a big hit in his lifetime.  In fact, it was ‘banned’ from use with blind kids for a while.  Naturally, kids enjoyed the idea of reading the contraband books, so it did not die.  In 1868, Dr. Thomas Armitage led a group of four blind men to form the ‘British Society For the Embossed Literature of the Blind’.   Louis Braille died of tuberculosis in 1852 at age 43.  In 1952 his body was moved to the Pantheon site where National heroes of France are honoured.  One little know fellow is William Moon. He was born in Kent, England in 1818.  He developed the ‘Moon’ system of reading in 1845.  It uses raised curves and lines with 14 characters.  Moon  is easier to use, and is much easier to learn by people who loose sight later in life, particularly if they are elderly.  William Moon died in 1894. His daughter continued his work and founded ‘Moonworks’.  For more on Moon, visit…. http://www.moonliteracy.org.uk Braille has been around for  over 180 years.  It has provide blind children with the opportunity to become literate.   Today, it is estimated that fewer than 20% of Blind adults use Braille.  The push and allure of technology has created an audio- dependent generation of Blind people.  I sit here, using a computer that is ‘talking’ to me, courtesy of screen-reading software allowing me to  write a blog on Braille.  Somehow,   I find the irony of that, to be both amusing and alarming.  I had the opportunity to learn the alphabet, grammar, syntax, phonics, use of punctuation, composition etc. as a sighted child.  When I began to loose my vision, I made it my business to learn Braille.  The emphasis of the type of ‘mainstream’ education Blind children recieve today, is not on Braille literacy.  We now have, what is called by many, a  ”Braille Crisis” . In fact, legislation called the Braille Bill was passed in Minnesota in 1987.  Groups such as the National Federation of the Blind, have advocated vigourously for similar bills to be passed.  There are many more states that have endorsed Braille bills.  These protect the important need/right of  blind children to become literate.  Audio-heavy education does not foster literate children who can move ahead successfully in life.  

When Someone You Know “Goes Blind”

Vision loss is no picnic for the person who is experiencing it.  Rarely do people “go blind” over night.  Most experience a gradual decline and have up and down periods. Some people retain useful  RV (residual vision).  Eye conditions create many types of abilities and restrictions. Macular Degeneration causes loss of central vision needed to see detail.  Glaucoma can cause tunnel vision,and  reduced night vision.  Diabetic Retinopathy causes reduced vision, especially at night, and sensitivity to glare.   It’s a bleak day at the opthamologist’s office, when a declaration of ‘Legal Blindness’ is made.  A journey of change  and adjustment begins.   Feelings of depression and anger are common. New skills must be learned.  Everything seems difficult.  Me?  I thought my head would explode trying to remember everything.  I learned that multi tasking is best left to sighted people.  Patience with yourself is critical. It takes more time to do everything, it seems, when you are doing it with less sight. It frustrated me to ‘think’ about everything I was doing. I resented spending 20 minutes on a task that I once performed in 5 minutes.  Emotional support is very important for people experience vision loss.  Peer support groups can make all the difference.  Being able to share the daily frustrations with others ‘in the same boat’,  is very helpful.  I joined such a group many years ago. I continue to ‘chair’ this motley crew today.  People come together every second friday of the month. For some, it is one of the few social outings they will have that month.  Everyone relaxes and has a chance to share whatever is on their minds.  It’s a lot easier to laugh about an experience related to blindness outside of the ’sighted’ circle of support.  For example, people roared when I admitted that I had accidentally washed my hair with Vim (tub cleaner) instead of shampoo that morning.  OK, it was a few years ago and I tend not to do that kind of thing anymore, but it is the type of thing that is best shared with people who ‘understand’.  The most commonly voiced sadness and frustration with new group members, comes as a result of loss of a drivers license or car.  The family members and friends of the person who has lost most of their vision,  must also go through a period of adjustment.  I often hear people who are new to vision loss, particularly older individuals,  expressing that they “feel like a burden” to their family members.  Sometimes, an entire circle of friends seem to drift away out of the life of a man or woman who is experiencing significant vision loss.  There are professionals etc. who can elaborate on the whole ‘psychosocial dynamics of blindness’, but here’s my wise advice:  Do not smother your loved one who has lost their vision.  It is far more helpful to facilitate good skills and O & M (orientation and mobility) training with a service providing agency (like CNIB in Canada) than to adopt a “let me do that for you” attitude.  However, realize that this is a difficult time. Some people learn faster than others.  Some skills are just too difficult for some to master. There is the element of safety to consider.  It’s nice to believe that your brother or mother who has lost their vision, can ‘do it just like anyone’, but things like using a stove, chopping, navigating through a noisy, busy mall with a cane, are not safe to attempt, without good skills.  Every human being has a comfort zone and it is not fair to force someone into a situation where they are thrown out of it. I think there are unrealistic expectations for many people who lose their vision, made unknowingly by friends and family members.  I learned Braille. But only 15 to 20% of all blind adults ever learn it.  I have a Guide dog (Opal) who has changed my life.  Back in the ‘planning stage’ when I was applying to go to Guide dog school,  one of my peer group members reported that a family member had commented to them, “you should get one too, mom”.  The mom in question, did not know how to walk down the road with a white cane, did not go to any location without assistance, did not particularly like dogs, did not like going out on rainy or snowy days… My point? it made no sense.  It can be helpful to someone who is experiencing vision loss, for family members to help reorganize the home environment.  A big factor in feeling comfortable is the accessibilility of the home.  Whether the person with vision loss is living alone, or with others, reorganizing the environment is necessary. Simple things, like specific placement of household items (so they can be found), using colour contrast schemes (paint or non-skid tape on stair risers, coloured handrails, floor material),  installing good lighting (mostly incandescent) and  ’attach’ lights on underside of cabinets. Get rid of dangerous scatter rugs and keeping cupboard and closet doors closed, and keep shoes etc. out of the footpath.  It’s easier and more pleasant to get on with life, when your home is safe and comfortable.  I have friends in my peer group who have told me that their friends or family members are often more ‘distressed’ than they are about their vision loss.  This is an unfortunate and common occurrence. I’m not sure if it involves fear (of their own potential vision loss), misconceptions of blindness, social stigma of blindness, or feelings of inadequacy (“I don’t know how to help”).  All of this stems from lack of general public awareness, and total absence of knowledge of the facts.  If you have a family member or friend who is “going blind”, express your feelings (of inadequacy  or whatever),  get your supports in place (books, internet, organizations, service providers), but  for goodness sake, GET OVER YOURSELF!  The world has not ended for you, or your loved one. 

Alternate Format Billing

I had time on my hands yesterday, so I phoned up my power company (Nova Scotia Power) and asked them if they could start sending me my statement in Braille.  I also asked them if they provided other options to customers who are Blind or partially sighted, such as Large Print, audio cassette or disc.  I mentioned that I was not certain, but I thought they might have a legal obligation to do so.  The clerk seemed confused.  She said she would call back after she checked with her supervisors.  Seven hours later, She did call back to tell me, “we don’t have the technical means to provide Braille or large print bills and statements”.  I then asked her to send that statement to me in writing.   I have no idea what our laws say about utility company requirements to provide alternate format billing, though I would bet that it’s in the books.  If it is not, it will be eventually  (grin). I will be a thorn in Nova Scotia Power’s side, until they ensure that alternate format billing options are available. The CRTC (Canadian Radio Telecommunications Commission) has issued all sorts of rulings for telephone, cell phone and cable companies, directing them to provide alternate format billing to customers who request it.  If you don’t know what your local telephone, mobile phone, and utility companies provide in the way of alternate format billing, ask.  Be specific. Ask if they provide Braille, Large Print, audio cassette, or computer disc.  while you’re at it, ask them if their web site is ‘accessible’.  They might not know what you’re talking about.  Their web site designers should. I don’t think people who are Blind or partially sighted should be expected to pay a utility bill they can not read themselves. 

Why Blind People Get ‘Freebies’…Rights or Charity?

People who are legally Blind (20/200 vision or worse with best correction), get a lot of free stuff, or perks ( or so it appears). This has led to great misconception by the general public. Other groups of persons with disabilities have expressed discontent with particular ‘advantages’ given to the Blind community. In addition, I sense  that a pervasive guilt trip is going on with many blind people.  Let me explain the kind of freebies that are at the root of  the whole issue.  While some countries have very similar policies, I will only speak to the situation as it affects most Canadians who are ‘registered’ with the CNIB (Canadian National Institute for the Blind). What sorts of ‘advantages’ or freebies do blind people have, and why do they have them? Books. Talking books and Braille books are available (usually with a free device to play the audio material on) from the central CNIB library.  Books, major magazines, and newspapers in audio or Braille format, travel back and forth, POST-FREE to people in Canada. In fact, ‘free matter for the blind’ is stamped on many items, including all BRAILLE matter, including personal letters, bank statements,  utility bills, government documents, and Braille paper stock. Other audio correspondence material travels post-free as well. These might include course tapes to a school such as Hadley  School for the Blind,  tax assessments on cassette from Revenue Canada, or the like.  All items mailed ‘free matter for the Blind’ must be mailed in unsealed envelopes or containers.  Blind students requiring textbooks, or anyone doing research or wanting specific information can request it of the national library for the blind, and they will eventually receive their information in audio, Braille, or computer disc format.  The process takes time and students often end up paying people in their community to do the job because of school project deadlines.  Why do blind people get free books and postage of same? This has to do with the right that recognizes that everyone must  have ACCESS TO INFORMATION.  The core of this right centers around other human rights, including the right to equitable  education, employment, and fair and responsible participation in the democratic process.   The reality is, that the number of people who are blind, remain disproportionate in university enrolment,  and employment.  Interestingly enough, the internet may be changing all that. Technology has given everyone more information. It is making life much easier, in some respects, and much more complicated in others, for all of us.   The Right to Information Access,  is extending into the area of web accessibility. The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is suing retail giant, Target, because their web site is not accessible to people who use screen reading soft ware.  This case is drawing a lot of attention because the issue of web accessibility for the blind, in a world that has created a “digital divide” in its rapid growth, could prove to be pivotal. It might  ensure that there is universal access to services, commerce and entertainment on the web, in the same way that physical access is mandated in the ‘real world’.  The second area that gives alleged ‘perks’ to the blind, is transportation. In most urban centers where public transit exists,  registered blind people normally receive a pass for free transit. Why? For some of the same reasons the blind have Access to Information. In order to get to work, school, health care, government offices,  or to go shopping, voting, or anywhere else, blind people must rely on transit. Blind people are not permitted to drive, therefore the free transit pass was introduced as a means of protecting the right to access employment, education etc.  This is a very sensitive issue.  Other groups representing people with disabilities argue that they should have free transit too.  Indeed, in some European cities, they do. However, the argument that supports limitation of free transit to the blind, is that people who  are deaf, and some wheel chair users, are permitted to drive modified vehicles and theorectically have access.  The reality is that a large number of ALL people with disabilities,  live in poverty and will never be able to afford a vehicle of any kind, let alone one that requires expensive modifications. Many blind people never exercise the availability of this free pass, because they do not travel independantly and choose to use a form of para transit which they must pay for. Others travel with friends and family members, or they simply don’t travel at all. In the city of Halifax, the free transit pass is negotiated between the CNIB and Metro Transit. The current pass was re-issued in 2005 after a two year period when blind people were caught in a ‘negotiating’ period and were told to just carry their expired passes.  The pass issued in 2005 expires this year (2008). The air is now rank with apprehension  again, as new negotiations continue for renewal. I am disgusted by the tactics employed. Many blind people express feelings of  intimidation when they encounter unacceptable service from a Metro Transit driver. They choose not to formally complain or report drivers because they are afraid of ‘losing the pass’. There is a prevalant sense that they should feel ‘grateful’ that they have a free transit pass and should ‘just suck it up’. This is partly because they do not know their rights,  do not understand that there is recourse available to protect their rights (Human Rights complaints),  or they do not possess a sense of  full ‘entitlement’.  In the area of air and train travel,  passengers with disabilities are sometimes permitted to have an ‘attendant’ travelling with them at a free or reduced rate.  Some movie theatres provide  free admission  for ‘attendants’ accompanying a disabled person.  

Low/No Vision Survival Tips

I am a big fan of organizational skills. It really saddens me to think of some of my friends who have experienced  recent vision loss, who struggle because of poor coping strategies. I have three friends in mind…Not one owns a pocket recorder, not one has used their stove in over a year, not one has cleaned their apartment or living space themselves in recent memory. It is no wonder that they are depressed! If I had no reliable means of keeping phone numbers and vital information at my fingertips….if I ate frozo dinners every day…if I had to pay strangers to clean up the place…I would be a mess too!  Perhaps you or a family member needs to re-organize your day to day means of surviving?  Here are a few ideas to pass on.

•  There are several ways to keep track of telephone numbers. Create a Large Print list if your RV (residual vision) permits.  Or, have a handy micro cassette or regular cassette tape recorder nearby at all times. Create your alphabetical phone listings on one tape. Make a copy and store it…just in case the original is damaged, or you accidentaly tape over your listings. I have numerous recorders, but use one for phone work.  I like to travel with a micro cassette recorder. You never know when someone is going to spontaneously spout off the recipe you’ve been longing to have for that tofu frittata. Someone might want to give you an address, or directions, or appointment details.  Braille is a good option too, but don’t expect to learn it overnight. I use it for labeling. I also cary a slate and stylus (a portable system for Brailling notes). 
• People who can make use of magnifyiers should have one with them ‘on the outside’. This might help with labels in a store or restaurant menus.
• In the kitchen?  Use Large Print or Braille labels for your spice jars. (Braille label making machines are available) Use different sized or shaped jars to store things like dry legumes and flour and grains. Labeling extends to medication, CD’s etc.
• To be able to identify two similar jars or bottles, like milk and cream, or jams, put an elastic band around one of them. Be consistent with the use of elastics, or else the whole idea is futile.
• To mark numbers or settings on a microwave, put stick-on plastic ‘bump dots’. You can get a cheap version of  these at your local hardware store or ‘dollar store’ in the hardware section. Look for ’surface guards’ or similar items. These will also work to mark stove and washing machine settings.
• Most telephone keypads, including pay phones, come with a  raised tactile dot on the number five (5). You can also use large and contrasting inlays to mark telephone keypads and computer keyboards, Debit machines also should have a raised mark on the 5. If your bank does not, complain to the manager.
• Some banks offer ‘audible banking’ machines. You just use any headphone set, plug in and receive voice instructions for some of those tricky transactions. 
• Bills, like telephone and power are (or should be) available in Large Print or Braille. Bank statements and tax statements and other government information, definitely are.
• Cleaning ’schedules’ will keep you organized and almost guarantee that nothing creepy is growing or festering in the corner of your living room.
• Vacuuming and floor washing is best done using a grid system. Start in one corner of the room and work methodically, cleaning a one square meter area at a time.
• Buy similarly-coloured and textured socks. That way, it’s no big deal to match them up. 
• Make cardboard tags in different geometric shapes, and use Large Print to mark clothing details: ‘Blue with white checks’. Punch a hole in the card and slip it over the hanger neck. Metal Braille tags are available to sew onto clothing (colour identification). Liquid tactile marking stuff is available in tubes which come in a variety of colours and are very handy (and cheap) for all sorts of things. Squeeze a bead onto a surface or material and it hardens to form a raised tactile dot. Kids can make maps and other things with them.
• Pour liquids, especially hot ones, over the sink. 
• If you have some vision, make use of contrast. Use white plates (no patterns) for dark food and the reverse for light ones. You can put a contrasting-coloured throw over that chair you run into all the time. Place your furniture sensibly, so it suits your needs. 
• Put your ’stuff’ in the same place all the time. I can’t tell you how often people say, “I can’t find it”. Sure, it happens to the most organized person on occasion, but a good attempt to house things in the same location, will keep your frustration level down, and waste less of your time.
• Make rules for visitors: Don’t move my stuff! Don’t leave your stuff in my footpath! Don’t leave cupboard doors open! It’s your place and there’s nothing wrong with insisting on respect for your survival techniques.
• Lots of keys? Use rubber key head grips (all colours) to differentiate them. A couple of small pieces of tape can mark anything too, so that you know what it is.
• Your telephone company probably offers 411 (directory information) free (up to 100 per  month) to anyone who is registered by an organization for the Blind as ‘legally blind’.
• Baskets are your friend! group similar items in containers or baskets.
• Learn to fold paper bills (money) in different ways for each denomination (twenty lengthwise, fives in half…). audible bank note readers are available. 
• Stick your shap cutting knife blade  under the chopping board when you leave it temporarily to do something else.
• Use a ’straight edge’ as a signature guide.  Put the guide under the place where you want to sign. This could be a ruler, credit card or other ID card.
• Keep small items together in a pillow case or mesh bag for laundering  in the washer.
• Libraries for the Blind have audio books available. It can be set up through the direct service organization for the blind in your area. Public Libraries also have audio books. Many bookshops carry them. Audio books can be downloaded from a variety of sites.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of ‘gadgets’ for the use of people who are Blind or have low vision. Some are very useful, others are silly. You can find talking calculators, watches, clocks, thermometers, pedometers, colour detectors, light detectors, thermostats, bathroom scale, blood pressure monitors, glucometers,TV remotes, …just about every possible item. There are beeping water level indicators, computer software, Braille and large print versions of playing cards and games like, Monopoly. In fact, if you HAVE the money, and CHOOSE to spend it, you can turn your home into a talking, beeping extravaganza. Personally, I think it’s more of a nightmare. I like to keep the sound assault down to a minimum. There are many more tips and suggestions that I will reveal in the future. Organizations (direct service) for the Blind and catalogue stores that sell products for independant living are useful resources.

Blind Etiquette 101 for…Retail Businesses

Do you own a small retail business? Are you a manager or employee in a shop, grocery store or other retail outlet? Here are some basic suggestions to help you or your staff in responding to the needs of your customers who may be blind, or partially sighted. First, think about the physical space in you store. Make it a firm policy to keep floor space clear of boxes and other obstacles. If you have any say in design features, such as lighting and signs, consider inquiring about what can optimize your site. Local organizations for the Blind, may be able to provide you with suggestions of specific types of lighting and how to use them, as well as other ways to create contrast (strips on steps etc.) Signs on bathroom doors should be a combination of large print, tactile symbols and Braille. Building standards and codes vary from place to place, however there are all sorts of Accessibility guidelines and checklists available from many sources, which can help you make your store or business accessible to EVERYONE. It can be daunting, with measurements of counter height and doors for wheelchair accessibility, automatic door openers, ramps, TTY access, etc. but try and think of the overall picture: If someone in a wheelchair, or someone who is Blind or Deaf, were to visit your store, what barriers would they face? ‘People skills’ is usually the aspect of accessibility, which creates the biggest barrier for people with disabilities. For people who are Blind or have limited vision? Here’s what you need to know: Identify yourself as a store employee, before asking a blind or partially sighted customer if they want help. OFFER assistance first (No grabbing of the arm etc.). It could be that the person does not want or need help, so don’t take a refusal personally. If they do want assistance, ask what they require. They will tell you what they need, or how they want to be guided (take your left arm etc.) If you are giving directions, be SPECIFIC. For example, “The washroom door is ten meters away at ten o’clock”, and not “Over there”. If I had a buck for every time I was told something was in that mysterious place called, “over there”, I’d have enough to buy a small condo. If the person has a Guide dog with them? know the do’s and don’ts that pertain to them (no petting, no talking to the dog, no eye contact…) and abide by them.  Also be aware of Access laws that protect Guide dogs and their handlers and allow them entry into your business (this extends to other properly qualified service dogs). The dog does not know where to find Ladies lingerie, so the handler might want to take your left arm and go ’sighted guide’, or have the dog “follow”. It’s up to the handler in the specific situation. In a grocery store, Blind people have some unique, preferred methods for shopping. Realize that they can not read labels, or aisle markings. Whoever is available to be a ’shopper’ (clerk who is helping), should have a good knowledge of the store and where everything is located. My biggest frustration in grocery stores stem from ’shoppers’ who can’t find anything, and take me and Opal through a 2 hour odyssey. That’s not fair to the dog. It’s also frustrating to have a ’shopper’ who has little knowledge of what constitutes a ‘good buy’ in produce. I may have access to the online ‘flyer’, but I have no idea what is actually available in the way of produce in the store when I get there, how much it costs, or if it is any good. Packaging makes it impossible for me to smell or feel the trussed-up package of green beans or asparagus, so I am counting on the ’shopper’ to tell me what’s available, how it looks and how much it costs…in a timely fashion. No two ways about it, the art of description requires some thought and practice on the part of store clerks. If the blind customer has a large number of items on the shopping list, the challenge is even greater. Many people who are blind, (with or without a guide dog) will take hold of the shopping cart while the ’shopper’ pulls the cart from the front. That way, a five foot-wide berth is not required to accommodate the cart, customer, ’shopper’ and Guide dog. A good ’shopper’ will advise of tight spots and turns. They will think ahead to where things are located in the store, so that there is no need to wander back and forth in the store. I try to plan for a maximum shopping time of forty minutes, for Opal’s sake. People don’t realize that a grocery store trek is one of the most challenging parts of her job. Smells, food spilled over on the floor, people trying to pet her, and the stop-and -go of the whole adventure is most difficult. She prefers working; being able to “find the bakery counter” at my direction, in a local store (actively working) over a situation where she is in harness, yet not guiding me in the store (when we go for a large number of items that require the help of a ’shopper’ to locate them). Paying for items? Cashiers should (for everyone) say aloud, “out of twenty” when handed a bill. They should put the change in the customers hand, and then give the receipt. If a signature is required for a credit card payment by a blind person, the easiest way to accomplish this, is for you to place the card directly beneath the ‘line’ where they must sign (as a straight edge guide). If your customer with vision loss is taking a cab from your store, try and have someone watch for the taxi, so that they actually know it has arrived (cabbies should know to get out of their car, or at least announce themselves, instead of pulling up in an area where other cars are coming and going when the person waiting can’t distinguish one car from another…but they don’t necessarily). I tend to avoid shops that are so packed with stuff that I can’t navigate. Special displays everywhere create an obstacle course for someone using a white cane. With a Guide dog, a person may be able to work around stuff, but still require adequate manouvering room. If the aisles are too narrow because of bins and displays, Opal can not take me through it, if the space is not there. One thing I emphasize with my blind friends; when someone does an exceptional or even adequate job of assisting you, fuss it up a bit, maybe even tell the manager. When service or access is not adequate, point out the shortcomings. I would love to see all businesses, big and small think about Acessibility issues. I don’t like to refer to my right to shop where I choose, as ACCOMMODATION, but rather, as EVERYDAY INCLUSION. Ask your local service organization for the Blind to give your employees a little ‘blind people relations’ skills talk. Check for pamphlets that they might have for distribution. Create a space where everyone feel welcome and people will come back to spend more money in your place of business. Remember, that they will probably tell other people about their experiences too (good or bad), and THAT has even broader implications.

More Blindness 101

•  Do not assume that the blind person you are talking to knows who you are. When you meet a blind person (let’s call him Max), let him know you are there (and not a passerby) by identifying yourself. Contrary to popular belief,  blind people do not Carry a foolproof audio Rolodex in their head. It is especially difficult to recognize someone’s voice, when it appears out of context. Max might be accustomed to hearing Mary at the church social every Sunday, but if Mary runs into Max at the grocery store one day, Max might not be able to figure out who she is.  Her voice is out of context. In a place where people are all about, Max can’t be expected to know who wants to say something to him unless you single yourself out. Max may be blind, but he is not necessarily deaf or mentally challenged. There is no need to shout or use monosyllabic words.
• PSST!!! Not all Blind people read Braille. In fact, it is estimated that only 10 to 25 % of Blind adults read Braille.  With technology offering ‘talking’(screen reading) software programs such as ‘Jaws’, and ‘Guide’, Kurswell  software for audible scanning, and DAISY (digital audio information systems) discs revolutionizing ‘talking books’, Braille has been given a run for its money.  Personally, I like Braille. It is like the old days…me and my book in silence.  But it is huge….literally.  Braille books are bulky and take up a lot of shelf space. Not only that, but if you pile heavy stuff on top of your Braille book or magazine, the raised dots will compress.  That makes it difficult to read.  Braille has two forms or levels: Uncontracted (formerly known as Grade 1 Braille) and Contracted Braille (formerly known as Grade 2 Braille).  Uncontracted, to put it simply is longhand.  Each letter (Braille cell comprised of a different combinations of six raised dots) is used to spell the word.  Contracted Braille is like traditional penned shorthand, and just as complicated!  I find it very handy for labeling bottles, c.d.’s and everything else I need in my life.  One more item on Braille…it travels ‘post free’ or ‘free matter for the blind’.  Yeah, a good deal. I’ll tell you all about Access to Information Rights sometime.