The Christmas feeling

Christmas for me is simply a plethora of feelings, emotions, and so much more. Christmas for me is a season where so many memories race across my mind. I can tell you that Christmas for me can be viewed in two different ways, as someone who has precious little vision and as one who once upon a time had enough vision to see so much.

When I had enough vision to see many things. I could appreciate the flickering candles in Church, the flashing colored lights as I skated around an outdoor rink, crowded streets with scurrying shoppers, Christmas trees loaded with decorations and presents piled high beneath, tables loaded with dishes of food, and of course, Santa Claus! I used to spend so much time in the toy departments admiring the dolls and doll houses, drawing sets and coloring books. I used to help decorate the house and always enjoyed putting up the angels, the lights, and most of all, the manger with all of the figures.

Now that my vision has dwindled to almost nothing, I have all of these memories to bolster my enjoyment of Christmas, and in addition I use my senses of sound and smell to help me continue enjoying. Fragrances of burning firewood, pine, baking cookies, and turkey and pork all help me to conjure up pictures and images of years gone by. Sounds of bells, kids laughing, Santa Claus ho ho hoing, and the scraping of blades on ice add to my happy memories. You see, I have so many ways to recreate, reproduce, and make new memories.

Christmas as a blind person could be really interesting. So much to enjoy and so much to share with others. Christmas through the eyes of a blind person could be a very different perspective for many. You can learn more by visiting www.acb.org.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day.
Merry Christmas everyone!

When pin numbers are compromised

We are living in an age where touch screen technology has now become a reality and for many it is a blessing; but for others like me, it is a great concern. As a blind person, I feel very much at sea whenever I am asked to depend on sighted assistance to get things done.

Touch screen technology means that I now have to depend on sighted assistance to carry out my transactions and in many cases this will mean that I will have to divulge my pin number to the one who is helping me. On the surface, some people may not think that this should be such a problem but here is the real concern. The minute one’s pin number is given to a second party; one’s contract with the financial institution that issued the pin number has been broken.

In short: If I as a blind person find myself in a situation whereby I need assistance to use a touch screen in order to complete a transaction, it means that I will need to divulge my pin number to a sighted person and the minute I do so I would be breaking my contract with the financial institution that issued the pin number to me.

I do not believe that financial institutions have really given much thought to this, and as for the sighted world, they probably have not either. But I am sure that they would do so if they were directly affected. So as I see it, there are two major concerns for blind and sight impaired persons when it comes to touch screen technology.

First, the divulging of one’s pin number leads to the breaking of a contract between customer and financial institution, and second, the blind or sight impaired person has no control when it comes to being able to independently complete transactions on their own. All that they can do is to trust the one that is assisting them.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with others. Visit www.nfb.org to learn more about the challenges being faced by blind and sight impaired persons when it comes to touch screen technology.

The kids get it

A few weeks ago, I was invited by a teacher of a group of grade one students to visit their class. She wanted me to visit them because of my ongoing court case against the Canadian Government where I am suing them over their inaccessible websites. The kids have been following my case in the newspapers and were eager to ask me questions and to tell me about the letter that they had written to our Prime Minister.

Without any hesitation I agreed and on a cool, early November morning I stood beside their teacher in their Welcome Circle and listened with great admiration as they sang “O Canada.”

Their tiny voices were strong and true and their attention to detail extremely fervent.
Shannon Green, their teacher, introduced me and told them that I had come for a visit. We then trooped upstairs to their classroom and for the next half hour I sat among them and fielded their questions, shared a snack with them and felt their artwork.

What a most moving and humbling experience for me! The kids absolutely got it! Their questions were right on and I was amazed at their grasp of the subject matter. They were most concerned that Blind Canadians were not able to access governmental websites and they even asked me about the access technology software that I used. They were concerned about social justice and their little minds understood it all!

Out of the mouths of babes! These kids are our future! Our messengers! Our promises of hope! Our future legislators and politicians and as I continue to say, “We need to protect the future of our kids”!

I will never forget this experience and I thank Shannon and Velvet for having afforded me this experience. I thank the grade one kids of Grove Community School for having stepped up to the plate.

I’m Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day. To learn more about my court case against the Canadian Government, please visit www.bakerlaw.ca.

The problem with vacuum cleaners

Yes I know only too well!  Vacuum cleaners are a very important part of our lives when it comes to cleaning but for me there are a few problems to deal with.  I won't spend too much time on this topic except to give you my short list of problems.

 

First, I can't tell when the bag is full.  That is, if the bag is actually in the shape of a plastic cup.  In most cases, a sighted person can see the level of fullness through the transparent panel but for me; I need to open it up and use my fingers to decipher the level.

Second, it is difficult for me to tell how good a job the vacuum cleaner has done on my carpet.  I can't really tell if it has picked up the majority of dust and fluff.

Third, I have to ensure that my electrical chords and plants are out of the way of my vacuum cleaners or else they will be eaten up by the latter. 

It would be the same for a sighted person but I need to be more careful with this. 

Finally, I have to ensure that I do not dent my furniture with my vacuum cleaner; the same for the sighted person but I need to be much more careful.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.  To learn how blind persons use vacuum cleaners, visit www.acb.org, www.nfb.org, or www.afb.org.  

Challenges at hotels

This is one of the more common questions that I get asked by friends and associates.  On the whole, I travel quite a bit and it varies from hotel to hotel.  What I will tell you is that within the last few years, stays at hotels for me have become more enjoyable.

 

There used to be a time when elevator buttons did not have Braille labels or that it was difficult to find a waiter who was willing to help with reading menus or assisting at buffet tables.  This has been changing over the last few years but there are still a few challenges for me to face. 

 

Finding the elevator is one challenge but if I learn my way as soon as I get to the hotel then it's okay and then locating my room after I get off the elevator or trying to find it after leaving my room. 

 

The challenges take place mainly in my room.  I have managed to master the physical dimensions and attributes of a hotel room as most of them are similarly laid out but the challenge comes when I need to know what is contained in those small bottles.  Yes, it is liquid but what exactly is it?  Is it hand lotion, shampoo, conditioner, or shower jell?  Then there is the good old TV and trying to figure how to work the remote; not too difficult at times but some times it is a bit of a challenge.  Then the hunt to find the electrical outlets so that I can plug in my phone, PDA, Computer, plus more.

A continuing work in progress and learning experience. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out and tell others how I navigate a hotel.  Visit www.nfb.org to learn more. 

Remembering by shape

This is yet another technique that I use in order to remember.  I use shapes to help me remember.  If I feel the shape of a plate, it helps me to remember the various colors of food.  If I feel the shape of a cup, then I can remember the color of tea or coffee and the same holds for when I feel the shape of a glass.  Colors of various liquids come flooding back into my mind.

 

It does not mean to say that I go around feeling the shapes of everything.  I can do it in my house without attracting the attention of anyone and I can do it in a store when I examine objects that I am interested in.  Sometimes, I sit quietly and trace shapes of things with a pencil.  I may not be able to see what I have traced but for sure, it helps me to remember. 

 

A shape is worth a thousand pictures to me; just like saying that a picture is worth a thousand words.  Maybe it is why I love to do paper craft.  I can fold paper to create boats, planes, fans, hats, and mats.  Picture frames, rockets, flappers, bags, and more.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my blogs with others.  Visit www.afb.org to learn more.

Using sound to remember

I have already told you how I use poetry to remember.  Now I'll tell you another little secret of mine.  It's all about sound and how I use it to remember those precious years when I was able to see my surroundings and appreciate faces, colors, and the wonders of nature.     I do it through sound and it's something that I recently started to do.

 

I am now using sound to help me recap those precious years.  I use my electronic keyboard to help me recreate memories.  I use sound to help me retrieve memories from my memory bank and bring them back to life.  I use the sound of notes strung together so to speak to help me.  To remember kids playing in the snow.  Figure skaters gliding gracefully across the ice.  Hockey players flying up the ice on their skates.  Surfers riding the waves.  Glass boats sailing noiselessly on the ocean.  White capped waves rolling gently against beaches with golden sand.  So much more!  You get the picture!

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day. 

Using poetry to remember

Just another technique to restore and remember what I was able to see in years gone by.  Some people paint in order to remember.  I use words and music to do the same.  I use poetry to create pictures and I sure have a great time.

 

My words spark memories of blue skies, swaying trees, green grass, big fat white snowflakes, silver raindrops, fluffy white clouds, sunrises and sunsets, and so much more.  Colors come to life and faces dance in my mind.  Pictures appear and disappear and memories of occasions creep slowly across my mind.  Times at the beach with family and friends.  Ice skating on outdoor rinks, walking in the fields, and strolling along crowded sidewalks. 

 

In Church at Christmas, Santa Claus happily ringing his bell with kids crowded around, and a plethora of other things.  My beloved poetry helps me to conjure up all of these precious memories.  Ah, my thoughts for today.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my thoughts with others.  Visit www.acb.org or www.afb.org to learn what blind persons do in order to remember their past years when sight was with them. 

 

Both sides of the fence

Yes, I have been on both sides of the fence so to speak.  I was born with very little vision which meant that I could not find my way around independently.  I could barely see colors and light.  I could see shadows and when I came into a room I could tell if the light was on or off.  Enough vision to keep my head above water but I was blind all right. 

 

People were quick to help me.  They saw my cane and usually came rushing over to help me avoid hanging objects or barriers.  They were very quick to offer me help whenever I seemed lost on the sidewalk or in a building.  They helped me so much but then I crossed over to the other side of the fence and things were somewhat different.

 

I crossed over to the other side of the fence when I received a cornea transplant that gave me a lot of vision.  I could read and write with special magnifying glasses and close circuit TVs.  I used a small cane to tell the rest of the world that yes I was blind but at the same time I could function somewhat independently.  I found it easier to find my way around, find things in stores, and avoid hanging objects and barriers.  As a result, the help was not as forthcoming as many persons felt that I did not need help.  This often turned into frustration for me because I could have done with the extra help at times when I could not easily find stuff.  

 

So you see I have been on both sides of the fence so I have many stories to tell.  You can learn more about both sides of the fence by visiting www.nfb.org or www.rnib.org.

 

I' Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and share my blogs with others. 

Acceptance is the key

Whenever I find it difficult to deal with those persons who have difficulty interacting with blind persons, I tell myself that acceptance is the key.  Whenever I run into circumstances that frustrate me I tell myself that maybe and just maybe, acceptance is the key.  I am not going to say that acceptance always works.  No, not at all but sometimes this strategy does work.

 

I know that there will always be things that I myself will be unable to change.  Some things are changeable but others are not.  Some attitudes can be changed but others cannot.  As a Blind person, I know this only too well and in order to keep my sanity, I have to determine when acceptance should become the key.  I don't usually back down very easily but at the same time, I don't go looking for unnecessary fights.  Instead, I try to determine my chances before taking on anything and it's the same for almost everyone. 

 

I always think of one of the more quoted proverbs from the Bible which tells us to have the courage to change the things that we can, to accept the things that we cannot, and the wisdom to know the difference.  This is one of my favorite mottos for what it is worth. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.  

Out of sight out of mind

Someone recently put forth the following argument to me.  Out of sight, out of mind; could this be the reason why society often forgets about blind and sight impaired persons when it comes to ensuring that they receive such things as:  equal access to job opportunities, education, health services, equal access to sporting and recreational facilities, and everything else that the mainstream person has access to?

 

I listened with bated interest to this person's opinions and arguments and after our encounter I decided to take a bit of time to contemplate.  It did not take me too long to formulate my own opinion.  There definitely seems to be a common thread when it comes to blind and sight impaired persons being either forgotten or left out of many every day matters. 

 

When it comes to sporting activities, I have found that in my home city of Toronto Canada, there is a definite lack of accommodation when it comes to sporting activities.  Over the last decade, I have tried so many times to catch the interest of the Parks and Recreation folks in Toronto to raise the issue of blind persons being left out of sporting events and they have sheepishly admitted that more needs to be done but to date not much has been done.

 

A few months ago I had a meeting with some officials of a financial institute to discuss making more financial planning services available to blind and sight impaired persons and at that time I raised the issue of making information available in alternate formats such as Braille, large print, and electronic text.  To my chagrin but not to my surprise, the officials admitted that they had never thought of doing so.  I also had a similar meeting with a major supermarket chain in Toronto to discuss making their weekly specials more available to their blind and sight impaired customers either online or through a phone service and again, I was told that this had not been thought of up until now.  

 

So the question of the day would be this one:  Why is  it that so many companies, cities, and even governments seem to often forget about the blind and sight impaired?  Out of sight out of mind?  Because the blind and sight impaired community is just too small to be considered or could it be something else?  This is not just a Toronto Canada problem; it is Canada wide, North American wide, and even global wide. 

 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and tell others about my blogs. 

Visit www.acb.org to learn how blind persons interact with the mainstream world.

The benefits of Braille

Statistics show the use of Braille has decreased over the last few years and we can attribute this to the era of computers and technology.  Many of today's generation use Braille sparsely and this is because they depend on their trusty computers with screen reading software to get by.  In addition, there are those who were born with sight and have lost it later in life and have chosen to go the computer way rather than learn Braille. 

 

For me, I was born sight impaired and grew up learning Braille.  Even after I received enough vision to enable me to read and write using the mainstream way; that being pen and pencil and magnification equipment, I still kept Braille as a backup and am I ever glad that I did.  Braille saved me from sure disaster when I found myself without most of my vision almost seven years ago.

 

When it happened, I was able to use Braille to do such things as:  Label file folders and CDs, take scrap notes, and write points for presentations.  I truly believe that Braille has its place in the life of a Blind person. 

 

If electricity goes or if the Internet goes down, I have Braille as a backup.  I don't have to turn on lights to read Braille; I can do it in the dark.  I can use Braille to label things; I don't have to use a device that depends on batteries or power to do it.  Whenever I make a presentation, I don't need a laptop to help me remember my points.  Braille is literally at my fingertips. 

 

I hope that the use of Braille continues to be promoted and used among blind persons.  If you would like to learn more about Braille, then please visit www.nfb.org or www.aph.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and asking you to go out there and tell others about how Blind persons use Braille as an important part of their lives. 

Braille forms cannot be filled in

I think that much of the sighted world often feels that Braille forms can be filled in.  This was made very apparent to me a few months ago when I tried to explain to a government official why it was impossible for blind persons to complete petitions in Braille.

 

I'd like to take a few moments here to explain further.

First, a Braille signature is not unique.  Braille is made up of a series of dots that are used to form letters so that when I write my name in Braille, it can be written by anyone else who knows Braille.  

Second, the dots are all uniform and cannot be changed in any way.  Braille is made up of the use of combinations of six or eight dots to form letters and punctuations. 

Third, it is very difficult to fill in forms using Braille because of the above.  Anyone can fill in a Braille form if they know how to write Braille and as a result it makes impossible to have a Braille form completed in a unique manner.

In short, Braille forms cannot be filled in because it is impossible to check for authenticity. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and spread the word that Braille forms cannot be filled in.  Visit www.aph.org to learn more.

Organizing my counter space

This is what I do as part of my daily activities; I am constantly organizing my counter space.  It's nothing too out of the ordinary; I guess that we all do it but as a blind person, I need to make sure that organization is the order of the day. 

 

So with this in mind, I make sure that things are organized in some form of logic so that I can find them at a moment's notice.  I do my best to ensure that my counters are not cluttered and confused.  I use drawers to organize my stuff and my counters are only there for things that I use more often than not.

 

In my kitchen, my counters contain my spice rack, my dish rack, my chess set, and some snacks.  That's it and the rest are safely stowed away in drawers that are specifically allocated for certain things.  Of course, I have my microwave and my toaster oven on my counter but that's it.  The fewer things I have around on my counter, the happier I am.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and asking that you share my blogs with others.  If you would like to learn how blind persons organize their counter space, then you can visit www.afb.org or www.rnib.org.

One foot in each world

This is the phrase that I use to describe how I conduct my life; one foot in each world.  What does this mean?  It means that each day, I do my level best to exist in two worlds; the world of the sighted and the world of the blind.

 

They are two different worlds; the one where everything is mainstream because it is the sighted world and the one where one has to function without sight.  The first is the one where people use their vision to full advantage to live their lives.  The one where they don't have to worry about depending on sighted help to do such things as:  Navigate inaccessible websites, shop when they want without too much difficulty, they can use their cars to drive to places that are not close enough to their homes, and they can use gadgets and devices to communicate without having to worry about the need for special software to make them talk.

 

The second world is the one where sighted assistance is a necessity if one hopes to be able to keep up with technology, communicate, and be a part of society.  The one where the lack of sight makes it a must for people to seek sighted assistance to do many things and the one where people quickly get used to being told "no, you cant." 

 

For me, I need to exist in both worlds.  I belong to the second because I myself am blind and I am a part of the first because my family is sighted and I have many dear friends who are also sighted.  Yes, it is a challenge but you know what?  I would not have it any other way.  The world of the sighted is the dominant world by far.  The world of the Blind is the world that welcomes me no matter what I am or who I am.

 

If you would like to learn more about the two different worlds, then you can visit:

www.nfb.org, www.acb.org, www.rnib.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my blogs with others. 

Downtown shopping

For me, downtown shopping can be a bit of everything.  Exciting, interesting, frustrating, nerve racking, plus more.  If I go on my own into a crowded downtown mall, it is like trying to find a needle in a haystack but if I go with someone that I trust, then it's that much more enjoyable.

 

With so many persons pushing and shoving in busy downtown malls to get where they are going, I can sometimes use my cane to let them know that I am blind but it does not always work.  Because people are often so focused on their own affairs, they often fail to see my cane and as a result they come crashing into me but it is probably not too much different for the sighted shopper. 

 

Negotiating downtown shopping is almost always a challenge for anyone let alone a blind person.  I do my best to stay away from downtown shopping.  I prefer to stay in my own neck of the woods; out in the suburbs where the malls and stores are much quieter and sales persons have a bit more time to assist me.  However, I do know of many blind persons who absolutely love to go downtown shopping. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and share my blogs with others.  If you would like to know more about how blind persons go downtown shopping, then visit www.nfb.org.

The choice of gadgets

I do not think that when it comes to the choice of gadgets, my way of choosing is any different from that of a sighted person.  There may be a few differences but I doubt whether they are really too significant.  So, here goes.

 

I choose a gadget based on need – like anyone else.

I choose a gadget based on affordability – no different than anyone else.

I choose a gadget based on layout of the keypad – may or may not be different than anyone else.

I choose a gadget for portability – no different than anyone else.

 

So far so good but here are the additions.  The gadget I choose should come with a manual in an alternate format; in Braille, on a CD, or in a downloadable readable format. 

The speech software should be accessible and the menus should be easy to access.

The quality of the voice should be excellent.

I should be able to receive quick and easy technical support if I have questions on either hardware or software. 

It should not be too difficult for me to learn how to use the gadget.

 

There you have it; how I decide on which gadget to buy and use.  I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my thoughts with others. 

Visit:  http://www.maxiaids.com/store/default.asp or www.independentliving.com

For the newly blinded worker

I often wonder what it is like for the person who becomes the newly blinded worker.  That is, for the one who loses their sight while on the job.  I cannot imagine what it is like except to share some experiences with you in the second hand way; from a friend of mine who lost his vision while on the job.

 

He told me that when it did happen, it was devastating.  His sight did not go gradually, he lost it all in a matter of just a few months and he did not even have time to prepare himself let alone prepare his wife and kids.  His world changed overnight!  He had to learn almost everything from scratch!  He had to learn how to cope in the workplace as well as at home with no vision.

 

At work, he had to be taught and taught himself how to operate without sight; in total darkness.  He had to learn his way around the workplace; in the cafeteria, in the bathroom, and to and from the bus stop because he could no longer drive.  He had to learn how to interact with his coworkers in a new way; without being able to see them face to face so to speak.  He now had to depend on voices, sounds, and smells in a big new way.

 

My friend told me that it was sheer horror at times but with the support of his wife and kids he managed to survive and can look back on these experiences as learning ones.  There are agencies out there that provide services to persons who lost their sight during the course of their lives and here are a few places that you can go to in order to learn more. 

www.afb.org, www.nfb.org, and www.acb.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and tell others that yes!  There is definitely life for someone if they lose their sight while on the job.

My fingers do the walking

I don't think that you will find too many blind or sight impaired persons who will disagree with this statement.  Yes, my fingers do the walking for me and no!  It does not mean that I walk on my fingers.

 

I use my fingers to tell me so much.  Things like:  Where objects are, locating objects, feeling my way around counters and dressers, locating spots and spills, finding fallen objects, and using my sense of touch to help me decipher, remember, and create.

 

My fingers walk when I need to create music.  They help me to negotiate the way, and they are indeed some of my most important investigators, inspectors, and decision makers.  You can learn more about how blind and sight impaired persons use their fingers by visiting www.nfb.org.   

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with others.

What flickering candles mean to me

They are the light of my life and now that I can no longer see them, I can conjure up memories of their flicker to help me remember.

 

Ah yes!  Flickering candles bring back memories of candle lit dinners with family and very special friends.  Christmas time in a Church with the Manger as the major focus.  Sitting quietly at my table at night contemplating and creating.  Standing with my parents in a crowded Church on Easter Sunday as we recite the Easter Prayers to renew our Baptismal vows. 

 

The memory of flickering candles reminds me of special occasions gone by.  I no longer light them mainly because I am unable to see them and I am a wee bit uncomfortable around them but it does not preclude me from remembering.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with others.

Fighting with my TV

I am afraid that more often than not, I get into unsolicited scraps or fights with my poor old TV.  Why?  When I am not sure whether it is on or off. 

 

How so?  Well, cable may have gone and there is no sound to tell me what is going on.  The screen may either be blank or there is a message on it that would tell a sighted person what's happening but I can't tell.  When I press a button on my remote; if I inadvertently press an incorrect one, then I am not sure which channel I am at.  If my remote decides to be in a bad mood and does not respond when I press a button.  Now, I may think that maybe and just maybe, the batteries are weak or better still, the keypad of the remote may be wearing down but still; I am never sure. 

 

I am not sure if there are any remotes out there that would enable me to have more control; I mean accessible remotes where I can hear what button I press.  Maybe someone can help me out?

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with each other.  Visit www.nfb.org to learn more about how blind persons interact with remotes plus more. 

Barriers to recreational sports

This continues to be a thorn in our sides and this is so because we need to keep depending on the sighted world for help.  We are not fully able to participate in many of the recreational sports on our own.

 

As an ice skater, I need help at the rink for someone to skate around with me because I am unable to ice skate on my own.  I do not have enough vision to skate on my own.  As a skier, the challenge is the same; I need someone to be my guide on the trail.  As a swimmer, I need sighted assistance when I swim in the pool with sighted persons. 

 

I am not sure if these barriers could be overcome but they can definitely be made easier to deal with.  How so?  We need to enlist the assistance of the sighted world.  We need to make our requests and ask for help.  We need to convince the sighted world that there is a definite benefit to making recreational sports available to the blind and sight impaired.  A few months ago, I attended a Ski for Light event in Utah and what an experience it was.  I invite you now to visit this website and see for yourself.  www.skiforlight.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and spread the word. 

Approaches to a blind person

We may not be able to see you or make direct eye contact with you.  We may not be able to see you approaching or wave to you in the distance.  We may not be able to smile at you from across the room or recognize you standing on a street corner or in a hall; but that's okay.  All you have to do is just walk up to us and identify yourself to us.  Tell us who you are!  Just say "Hi, it's me," and you can add your name.  Easy isn't it?

Remember not to nod your head when talking to a blind person because they won't be able to hear or see it.  Use your voice to express yourself.  You may even want to reach out and touch your blind friend on the shoulder or arm if it makes you feel more comfortable.  Don't use gestures and don't shrug your shoulders.  I hope that this is enough to get you started.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my blogs with others.  Visit www.acb.org to learn more. 

Don't be afraid to use the word "see."

There are many who feel very uncomfortable whenever they use the word see if a blind person is within hearing distance.  I guess that maybe they feel that using the word see may just be offensive to a blind person.  I often have to smile to myself whenever a person hesitates to use the see word with me around.  For example:  Someone may say "Did you see the game on TV last night?" and as soon as they say it they immediately freeze and start to back pedal.

 

I am here to tell you that you should not be afraid to use the see word.  Use it freely and use it anytime you feel like it.  The blind community will certainly not be offended.  I certainly do not mind.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and spread the message.  Visit www.afb.org to learn more.

How I read books

As a blind person, I am unable to read books in the normal way.  That is, for the most part, I am unable to read a printed book.  So, how do I read books?  There are a few ways for me to deal with this and I'll give you some of the more used methods that I and others like me use.

 

1. I can listen to books on CDs and cassette.  Several books known as talking books have been put on to CDs and cassettes and we can use our CD or cassette players to do so. 

 

2. We can use the tedious method of scanning a book and then doing the following.
Download the scanned text to our computer and then use our screen reading software to read it.  This method is long and tedious and we may not always be able to scan it accurately.  We may often need sighted assistance to help us scan it accurately.

 

3. We can download books from the Internet to our computers and then use our screen reading software to read it or we may even download it to other devices that are equipped with speech software that can read the text to us.

 

Can we use the Kindle software to help us read books?  This device is not totally accessible to us.  That is, it does not yet have adequate speech software that would enable us to navigate and read e books.

 

We can also use the regular land line or even our cells to read such things as newspapers and magazines.  Several newspapers and magazines companies provide phone service just for this purpose.  Anyone can use their phone to access information. 

 

So, this is how a blind person does it and if you have any questions then please do not hesitate to visit www.acb.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

Some talking devices

As a blind person, there are certain talking devices that I use in order to help me with certain tasks and for the purpose of this article, I am going to stick with just a few; those that I use in order to communicate with others.
 
First:  My talking cell phone.  At first glance, my cell phone appears to be like any other; can be used by anyone but with one major exception.  It talks.  There is special software that enables me to hear the keys that I press.  I can hear options in menus, and I can hear what I choose when I press the keys on the phone's keypad.  I can hear the names and addresses in my contact list, and I can then choose whichever name I desire and make my phone call or send an email. 
 
There is also another great feature to my talking cell phone.  There is special software that enables me to use my cell phone as a talking reader.  When used in this way, my cell phone can read printed text on a page but it is unable to read handwriting accurately.  My cell phone is equipped with a special camera that takes a picture of the page and then converts it to speech.
 
Second:  My talking PDA:  It is called the Icon and this handy little device was developed to enable a blind person to have access to a PDA type of device.  I can use the Icon to input information, record music, and play audio books.  I can also use the Icon as a voice recorder.  The recordings are of top quality and I can record either audio or music.  I can hear keys when they are pressed, options in menus, and there is a detailed help facility for me to use whenever I need it.
 
The Icon enables me to either use its keyboard or attach a wireless keyboard to it.  It can be used to interact with a computer and I can upload and download information and data to and from it.  I use the Icon extensively whenever I travel away from home.
 
Apple's iPhone and iPal are also quite accessible for blind persons and more companies are coming out with devices that enable blind persons to use them.  They are developing devices with built-in speech and VOIP software. 
 
Just but a few devices to tell you about and if you would like to know more than please visit www.aph.org.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

Navigating without a mouse

In the main scheme of things, the sighted world normally uses a mouse whenever they navigate a website but it's not quite the same for me as a blind person.  You see, I am unable to point to icons and images because I am unable to see them on the screen.  I am unable to drag the mouse to open menus and click on icons and images, and I am unable to use my mouse to communicate on websites.

 

So you may be asking, how does a blind person navigate around a website?  If they are unable to see the screen, then how can they navigate around a website let alone communicate with others through the Internet?  We do it without a mouse and we use software known as access technology to help us navigate and communicate on the Internet.

 

Let's first take a look at what I mean by access technology.  Access technology is the name given to software that has been developed to help blind and sight impaired persons communicate with a computer screen.  How does it work?  It speaks everything that is on the screen to the user.  The user can manipulate the software to speak by character, by word, by sentence, by paragraph, by page, and by screen.

 

The user can have words spelled, have punctuations spoken, and can program their software to suit their preferences with regard to how things are to be spoken.  This software is also referred to as a screen reader. Screen reader software has been around since at least the mid to late 70s and companies such as IBM, Apple, and Microsoft have been heavily involved in the development of access technology.  

 

Others have also played a huge role as well and at the present time, some of the more popular screen reading software are:  Jaws, Windoweyes, and Hal.  Several other developers out there are constantly coming up with improvements to enhance screen reading software.  That is, to make them more powerful and better able to communicate with changing technology.

 

So, how does it all work?  A blind person uses the tab key in various combinations with the shift, alt, insert, and Ctrl keys to emulate mouse movements.  They also use the enter key on occasion as well.  They use these combinations to navigate through websites such as going from link to link, navigating through fields in a form, or for going from page to page. 

 

How does a blind person navigate from link to link?  They can do it in any of the following ways:  By using their tab key, or by using the up or down arrow keys.  They can also use another way to do this as follows:  By pressing a combination of two keys that would allow the screen reading software to bring up a list of links on the page.  Each screen reading software has its own unique combination of keys to do this.
 
How can they tell that they have already visited a link?  Most screen readers are programmed to tell the user this.  So for example; after they have visited a particular link on the page the screen reader tags it and the next time the user tabs or arrows up or down, the word "visited"is spoken when the user reaches the link in question.  So for example:  If the user has already visited the contact us link and is now browsing the rest of the page, as soon as they either tab or arrow up or down to the contact us link, the screen reader will speak the words "contact us visited."

 

Can screen reader software navigate graphics, images, and icons?  Only if the graphic, image, or icon has been specially labelled by the website developer.  That is, if the developer has programmed their code to identify the graphic, image,or icon as such with an accompanying description. In other words, in order for the screen reader to be able to identify a graphic, image, or icon, it has to be properly coded with an appropriate description.

 

What happens if a graphic, image, or icon has not been properly labelled?  In general, the screen reader either ignores it or gives a meaningful message to indicate that it is unable to read it.

 

How does a blind person navigate between the address bar and the main body of the web page?  By either using a pre assigned F key or some other key designated by the screen reading software. 

 

Can a sighted person learn how to use a screen reader?  Definitely so.  With a little training and some patience, it is not too difficult.

 

Of course there is a lot more that I can tell you but this is a good start and if you would like to learn more, then please visit www.nfb.org.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day.

Granny was my eyes

Whenever I think of my beloved granny, tears come flowing down my cheeks.  I am so fortunate that I had the luxury of having her around when I was a child.  She read to me, she described things to me, and she taught me.  She was kind and she was gentle and she never lost patience with me.  She taught me how to write, how to tie my shoes, and never let my blindness get in the way.

 

Granny described all kinds of things to me.  The waves rolling onto the beach.  The boats out in the water.  Leaves sailing down the river.  Candles in church.  Birthday cakes on a table and plates loaded with all kinds of delicious food.  Granny delighted in telling me about what our dogs when they were playing on the beach.  She described people walking along and everything around me.  Granny was my eyes!

 

I thank granny for all that she did for me.  When I first received vision, granny was gone by then so I was never able to see her face to face but my family showed me pictures of her and it's what I have well preserved in my memory bank.  Thanks granny!

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and tell others about my beloved granny and how she was my eyes when I was a child.  Visit me at www.sterlingcreations.ca.

Remembering the headlines

It's part of what I do in order to keep my memory alive and kicking.  Part of what I do in order to retain my visual memory.  I sit and remember some of the more important headlines that I was able to see when I had enough sight.  They are not all happy ones, but ones that stand out in my mind.  It's my way of remembering letters on a page.

 

1979:  From the Montreal Star – Habs win fourth Stanley Cup!

1981: From the Montreal Gazette – Trudeau returned to power in sweeping majority!

1996:  From the Toronto Star – Dianna dead!

1999:  From the Toronto Star – JFK Kennedy JR lost at sea!

 

You may think that I may be a bit morbid for thinking of some of these but it's my way of trying to keep visualizing the letters on a page.  Of course there is much more that I remember but these are just a few.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and asking that you go out there and share my blogs with others.  If you would like to learn how blind persons read newspapers, then visit www.nfb.org.

Using colors to assist me

Whenever I need to remember something specific or something that I have forgotten, I use colors to assist me.  Believe it or not; each time I eat a fruit the color of that fruit comes floating into my mind and each time I sit down to eat a meal, my plate lights up with color.  Similarly, each time I go looking for something, the color of what I am looking for comes racing into my mind. 

 

Whenever I go searching for a sheet of paper or an envelope, white for paper and brown for envelope are in attendance.  If I need to remember what grass, flowers, skies, beach, snowflakes, or sun look like, then guess what?  I use color to help me remember.  Six years later after having lost most of my vision and color is still o so vivid in my mind.  Whenever someone talks about things in the supermarket or at the store, I use color to help me picture things.  Ah!  The world of color!  Mine forever.  

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my memories with others.  To learn more, you can contact me at donnajodhan@sterlingcreations.ca.

In the washroom without sight

This is one of the more interesting challenges for me; being able to navigate the washroom at a mall or in a restaurant or for that matter, in an unfamiliar place.  In many cases, the layout of a washroom is almost always the same; I just need to know where the wash basins are, the location of the stalls, and the hand towels, drying machines, and the soap. 

 

So what are some of the common challenges for me?  To locate and determine the type of soap dispenser.  To locate the hand towels and the garbage disposal.  To determine the interior and size of the stall.  Once I get the hang of these things then I'm fine.  My cane does the talking and walking for me.

 

As I mentioned above, the layout of a washroom is generally common in most cases; it's a matter of finding what I need. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and tell others about my blogs.  Visit www.perkins.org to learn more about how kids and adults are taught how to find their way around unfamiliar surroundings. 

 

 

Watching TV with no audio descriptions

Watching TV for a blind person has changed so much within the last few years.  There was a time when there was no audio description around and we had to depend heavily on our sighted family and friends to describe things to us.  Many of us developed our very own ways and techniques to follow the action as it played out and I was no different.

 

When I had enough vision, I used to sit very close to the TV screen and follow along with my limited vision but now that I have lost so much sight I now have to find ways to follow along if there is no audio description to help me.  Audio description is really a life saver to many blind persons and as time moves on, we as blind persons hope for more audio description to movies, documentaries, commercials, and anything that is on the TV and on the Internet.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my blogs with others.  Visit www.wgbh.org to learn more about audio description.

Describing pictures

There was a time when I had enough vision to describe pictures to some of my friends who could not see.  Today, I am the recipient of those with sight describing pictures to me and o how much I love it when pictures are described to me.  

 

I can allow my memory to venture backwards and forwards.  Sideways and up and down.  I can allow my imagination to create vivid images, colors, and memories of days gone by.  Ah, pictures!  What's going on around me!  Pictures of what persons look like, what they are doing, and of course all of nature's wonders!  I am blessed with family and friends who love to describe pictures to me.  From an album, on the TV screen, on the Internet, and simple pictures of what is going on in the mall, in the store, on the beach, and on the street. 

 

Describing pictures; it's what keeps me going!  A new world for me; describing pictures to me by others!

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and encouraging you to go out there and share my blogs with others.  Visit www.nfb.org or www.afb.org to learn more. 

Interesting reactions

There is one thing that I can say for being blind!  There are always going to be actions or reactions that would either amuse, interest, frustrate, or annoy me.  Or even actions that often leave me with wonderment.

 

I'd like to highlight a few of these today.  Here goes!

I'm standing in line waiting like anyone else to receive services at the counter.  Along comes some kind hearted person and they take me to the head of the line.  They then ask the person at the counter to please look after me because I am blind.  Sometimes, I get someone who asks me if I would like to sit and wait until it's my turn.  They'll let me know when it's my turn.  Or I am in a line and someone asks me in a loud voice if I need help.

 

I am waiting to cross the street and someone comes along and grabs my cane.  They then ask me if I would like to cross the street.  Or how about this:  I am in a supermarket shopping and when I get to the cash the cashieer offers to help me pack my groceries but the person next in line says that I am taking up time by allowing the cashier to pack my goods.  I go shopping and the sales person chooses to ask my mom or friend what am I looking for?  Or, what would my preferences be?  I go to a restaurant and the waiter asks my dining companion to tell them my choice. 

 

On most days, I can deal with all of this.  I usually smile and do my best to be congenial.  Sometimes I try to educate the person who I come in contact with.  However, there are those days from time to time when I have some difficulty staying focused.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my blog with others.  Visit www.nfb.org to learn more.

Master of the water

If anything, I have always felt this way.  From the time I was born with very little vision to when I gained so much and even now with precious little to my name.  Vision or not, I have always felt like master of the water.

 

I have so many memories of me communicating with water.  From when I was just a wee one walking along the beach with mom and dad and being able to see the waves lapping against the shore.  I still remember being able to see those waves that reminded me of lace and frills; their white caps so soft and foamy.  Then as I progressed through childhood, I still remember being able to frolic with dad, my brothers Jeffrey and Robert, and my cousins in the warm ocean.  How well I still remember being able to somehow chase them around, look up at a blue sky, and all of it through very blurry vision.

 

Playing with my dogs in the breakers, swimming with my beloved granny, and holding on to either mom's or dad's hand as I struggled to stay upright against the waves.  All of this I did with so little vision.  Then came the day when I received my cornea and new vision!  How I loved to just sit and watch the ocean whenever we went to the beach.  I could see the sail boats outside glinting in the sun.  I could see other sea bathers, look up at a flawless blue sky with puffy white clouds drifting lazily by as I laid on my back floating in a calm green sea, and watch fascinated as the Air Canada jet bird floated effortlessly over a deep blue Caribbean sea with the sun shining down on everything. 

 

That was then and this is now!  My memories still rule and ask me for some of the cherished ones and here they are:  The day that my brother Jeffrey and my sister-in-law Gayle took me on an outing down the islands.  I watched fascinated as the boat drove through huge sprays of white foam and bobbed up and down over the water.  Then Gayle and I went swimming and as I looked around me, I could see other boats filled with party goers and dark water swirling gently around us.  The kids were there too, swimming around and around the boat and Gayle and I following in their paths.

The day that I went sailing, canoeing, and kayaking on Lake Joe in Ontario. 

 

That was all then when my vision was so much better and this is now and I am still master of the water.  My memories help me to enjoy and now I add new ones to my memory bank.  Mom and I sitting quietly on the beach chairs enjoying the smells and sounds of the sea.  She describes everything to me and I use my memories to draw pictures of white capped waves, blue skies, and jade green ocean.  Then I compose music in my mind to cap everything off.  Nothing will ever take it away from me; master of the water is what I shall always be!  With the swans and large white birds forever flying overhead.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and share my memories with others. 

The blind dare devil

Well, I've finally admitted it to others; it's what my friends used to call me and I don't think that I am unique when it comes to this.  I hear so many other stories of blind folks being dare devils.

 

I can only speak for myself but for me, it was and continues to be something that I enjoy.  Of course, there are so many sighted dare devils around but when it comes to a blind dare devil!  The difference here is that much of the sighted world is often surprised when they hear our stories.  I guess that they do not think that blind folks would do scary things but that's okay.  It never hurts to shock others from time to time. 

 

So, what do I remember doing when I was growing up that shocked my peers?  I used to take delight in running through the hallways when I was in school and this often gave my sighted teachers a heart attack.  I would jump off the top step and land safely some 10 steps down and this shocked my peers.  My sister-in-law Gayle who attended high school with me reminded me of this not too long ago.  Then I used to jump tall snow banks in Montreal while I was at university and race across busy streets; something that often shocked my professors.

 

One of my favorite memories was that of walking across the top of a car while it was standing in a traffic line and waiting for the light to turn green!  What a hoot!  Then how about the day I jumped from the top of my friend's deck and down into her swimming pool!  Pure bliss!  About 20 feet from top to bottom!

 

Ah, but that was all then and this is now!  Would I try these things again?  Not too sure.  When you are blind and can't see around you, you really do not know what dangers could lie ahead.  You're really not scared by visual cues because you can't see them.  So you are left to perceive what you think is there but most times you are really not on the right track.

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my stories with others. 

 

The right to education

The right to education is for everyone; it is not a privilege.  It is there for all no matter what and as a blind person who has been so fortunate to have been able to receive a master's degree in Business Administration from one of the best universities in the world, McGill university of Montreal, I feel even more strongly that all blind persons should be given every opportunity to reach for the skies. 

 

They should be given equal access to learning whatever they desire.  They should be given equal access to the Internet and other resources that are used by the mainstream student and every effort should be made to ensure that they receive the best training and attention possible.  No school, college, or university should be allowed to offer excuses.  Technology has come along far enough to enable texts to be produced in alternate formats such as Braille, large print, and in readable electronic texts.

 

There is nothing to stop professors from being able to include blind and partially sighted students in their classes.  There is nothing to stop distance learning providers from making their online courses accessible to the blind and partially sighted and there is nothing to stop institutions of learning from opening their doors to blind and sight impaired students. 

 

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my thoughts with the rest of the world.  Visit www.nfb.org or www.acb.org to learn more.

 

 

Why not us, too?

It's the question that I keep on asking each time a focus group gets together to discuss the demands and needs of the disabled community. But for some odd reason, and this happens too many times, the demands and needs of blind and partially sighted persons seem to be either ignored or forgotten.

Too many times we, as a group, are left out of research studies. Too many times whenever a focus group is brought together to discuss issues and concerns surrounding the disabled community, the voices of blind and partially sighted persons seem to be ignored. I am urging my fellow blind and partially sighted brethren to start speaking out. Do it and we stand a chance! Ignore the call and we'll continue to be left behind. Follow the lead of organizations such as the NFB, the AFB, the ACB, and the RNIB. Do not let their work be in vain. You can visit these organizations at: www.acb.org, www.afb.org, www.nfb.org, and www.rnib.org.



I'm Donna J. Jodhan wishing you a terrific day.

Sailing blindly on the lake

In early August, I and some friends decided to go sailing on Lake Ontario. It was a gorgeous day for sailing as the winds were just right, the temps were warm and the water calm enough. Everything was just right except that on this day I was going sailing as a person with little to no sight.

A few years ago, I had gone sailing and at that time I was able to see so much around me. I could see the horizon, other boats around me, and even some of the landmarks. O how well I remember! How much I enjoyed it all! I could still remember the sun beating down on us in the boat. The sparkling waters rushing by, the sails billowing in the wind, and so much more. It was an experience of a life time.

This experience was an exciting one of a different kind. Whereas then I was able to see, now I had to put my trust in the captain and everyone else. Still, I enjoyed it. The boat tipping backwards but I trusted in our captain. The sound of the sails billowing, the wind blowing, the water gurgling, and happy ones laughing and screaming in other boats around us.

Whereas before I used my limited sight to help me enjoy it all, now I was using my senses of hearing and smell. Sailing blindly on the lake was much fun.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and tell others that yes! Blind persons can indeed enjoy sailing on the lake. Visit www.blindsailing.ca to learn more.

Please pay us for our expertise

I can only do my bit here in my blog to send a message to those who often request help from the blind and sight-impaired community. That is, whenever these persons put out a request for blind and sight-impaired testers to assist in evaluating their websites to ensure that they are accessible and usable.

Maybe these persons are not fully aware or maybe they have not yet thought about it, but here goes. If you require assistance for blind and sight-impaired persons to test your website for accessibility compliance, then you need to pay for their services. No, do not assume that they would do it for free, and why should they? No, do not assume that you could pay them a nominal fee for their knowledge and it would be okay. When you put out a call for blind and sight-impaired testers, you are, in effect, putting out a call for persons with specialized skills to provide specific services, and, accordingly, you need to pay for what you require.

You need to look at it in a similar way to when you go looking for someone to provide you with specialized services in areas that are specialized. Example: Technicians to install electronic or security equipment, technicians to fix your appliances, or plumbers to test and fix pipelines. I think that you get the picture. Maybe I should close by asking this question: If you require the assistance of blind and sight-impaired persons to test your website for accessibility compliance, is it not safe to assume that you should be paying for specialized knowledge? Or maybe the question should be this: How important do you think it is to be accessible compliant? Another topic for another blog.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan, your friendly accessibility advocate, wishing you a terrific day and inviting you to go out there and share my concerns with others. Visit www.w3c.org/wai to learn more about accessibility and how to design and develop accessible websites.

No need to ask mom

This is something that I have written about on several occasions and continue to write about. It's all about sales persons who seem to feel that when speaking to me, they feel more comfortable doing so by asking my mom or whoever is with me at the time.

A few weeks ago I went shopping with mom, and as we started to choose some clothes for me to try on the sales lady came up beside us and proceeded to start asking, "What does she like? What are her favorite colors? Would she like this jacket, you think?"

In the normal scheme of things, I would have said something but on that day my tongue seemed to have frozen and I let it all go. When we got home, I asked my mom for her observations and she agreed with me that she would not have appreciated the sales lady doing this to her. I guess that the reason that I may not have spoken up was that the sales lady did not seem to
realize her insensitivity. She was very nice and extremely polite.

This is really not an excuse for my not having spoken up. If I and my fellow blind and sight-impaired brothers and sisters hope to change things, we need to speak up and do it consistently, politely, and gently. Educating others is the only way to do it and hopefully the by word of mouth technique will do the rest.

I'm Donna J. Jodhan your friendly accessibility advocate wishing you a terrific day and urging you to go out there and help spread the word. Visit www.afb.org or www.acb.org to learn more.