Networking Forum

In Canada employment works will pay some of the costs of acquiring adaptive devices. Now that computer flat screen are less expensive and jaws or zoon text can be built into computers including laptops, vi and blind people will be able to show employers that they being limited in sight doesn't have to limit their employability for work. Employers need to know and the vi and blind population should be able to explain to them about government programs(if they exist) that will defray the costs for their business and blind and vi people should be able to demonstrate to them via their laptops how adaptive technology works. It's incumbent upon the blind and vi applicant to pave the road for employers allaying their fears over the many myths of unemployability of blind and vi and any other disabled worker. Most employers don't know how to find this info, or even where to start to look. So they make the automatic assumption that placing a disabled worker in their company is going to cost them money and time , which they don't have so they'll go for the sighted employee first and foremost.

As vi and blind and disabled employees, as much as we don't like the idea that we have to do this , the world doesn't adapt to us , we adapt to the world and so have to better at talking about our strengths and weakness and what adaptive technology we'll need and how it works and how it can fit into an employer's position.

Adaptive technology for me assists in overcoming my mobility issues and allows me to participate as an active member of an organization.
Companies need to overcome the perceptionitis that a person with a disability is a potential liability--rather we are potential possibilities one of which is to be a competitor.
It is how we see that is important.

I am not yet a member of the work force, I am a student. I am working on a community counseling MS degree. My university is great when it comes to providing adaptive equipment. I think if perspecive employees could find a nearby university with adaptive equipment they could use it as an example for perspective employers.

I will find out in the future what the job market is going to offer; after I receive a Ph.D. I plan on becoming an advocate for the disabled specializing in the VI/blind and veterans both near and dear to this blind vet.

Until I have a foot in the door to stand up for the rights of the disabled who cannot fight for themselves all I can do is say thank you esight for providing us a forum to raise our concersn.

Vern

Adaptive Technology has been a great asset to all blind people. But unfortunately good technology is still out of reach to most blind people all over the world. And the cost effective technology and training att K-12 and university is still a big barrier these day. To be successful, whether blind or not, one needs a good education and atleast a college degree.
Thanks
Sunish

Assistive technology has exponentially increased my productivity, allowed me more access to wor-related information; and significantly reduced my need for braille paper.

Adaptive technology has torn down many of the barriers to the workplace and, with the advent of assistive devices such as talking microwaves and thermometers for the home, people with disabilities can live and work more independently. Behind the high tech though, I believe still lie employers' fears and intimidation. I'm not convinced they really want people with disabilities in their workplaces, especially if it means working face-to-face with consumers. There is more education to be done in mainstreem workplaces and still attitudinal barriers block the bright, talented people with disabilities from earning a paycheck. Perhaps the question asked by employers is: "If I had that disability, how would I manage?" Why not just say, "I might face a disability someday and here's a person who could help me live with it!" Many of the assistive devices are provided by state services for people with disabilities. Many which are purchased by willing employers pay for themselves in the dependable, steady and dedicated work of the person or people who work for employers who gladly hire those capable people who relish their jobs and climb the ladder of success, on crutches, in a wheelchair or with a PDA in their briefcases.

Helen I agree with you completely it's more society's fear of being disabled that plays into the fact they don't or won't hire disabled people. The thing of it is , is that as we all age in some way disabilities come to us all whether we want to admit it or not.

I was in Public, High School, in a time and place, where Special Education, had never been on anyone's mind.

I completed a B. S. Degree, with the aid, of volunteer Readers, and some paid services.

During my Masters program, nothing had changed. During the late 70's, I did about 4, years, of Doctoral work, and guess what, the talking calculators had not even come around. The statistic Prof's, didn't really care.

The current levels, of advancement in technology, as pertains, to the blind is a million, light years, from those primitive times and conditions.

Blind persons, today, who really wish, to become competitively employed, and assuming that they are physically and mentally ready and capable, should not, be deterred.

Employers hiring a Blind Worker today is taking no extra burden and certainly is taking no negative legal obligations.

Every State, territory, possession, etc. have the advantages, of the State/Federal, Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies, which offer tremendous, vocational related services and support.

It is my opinion that this very excellent Organization, should place more attention, to the vast Governmental, service programs, available, for most all Blind Citizens. Technology and assistive devices, also should, be featured more, prominently.

C. Fred Stout

San Antonio, Texas

Technology can be a wonderful thing for a person with a disability. It speaks to our sense of dignity and self worth. However, on both an individual and collective level, much more proactive public relations work will be necessary. To put it simply; we are afraid of people and things with which we are unfamiliar. Prospective employers who have had no contact with a person with a disability may have numerous questions. They may not dare to ask the questions for fear of violating the provisions of ADA. I see ADA and technology as tools to help with full participation in our society. Despite the value of these tools, they can be compared to the civil rights act. Though the act makes discrimination illegal, it cannot change the hearts and minds of the discriminators. Hopefully, outreach efforts that take place outside work sites can provide opportunities for people to get to know us and feel comfortable enough to ask questions. Finally, I would ask that any of us in the disability community take advantage of opportunities to speak at conferences and conventions, or any other community forums.

Learning to use jaws with a computer has allowed me to develop my office skills and work as a jaws tutor on an as needed basis. It has opened the knowledge of the internet to me. However, I applied for some secretarial positions with my state. When it came time to test, I was told that none of the examinations were readable with the jaws screen reader. Neither were there provisions made for me to use a person to read for me. I would be given a written exemption. According to the state that was legal accessibility. My question is; how can you convince a state agency that you can perform the skills, when you can't independently take the examination?
We have done a relatively good job finding funds to educate persons withvisual impairments , however, we must finish the plan by making even more work opportunities and testing available to persons with disabilities. Some how we must find a way to measure our skills on a level equal to nonhandicapped individuals.

It has been my experience that technologies, the computer, knowledgeable folks to help and train, networking, and software can totally change a disabled person's life, if they receive the training, and have axcess to the technology through knowledgeable rehabilitation councilors/state agencies.

For many years, I was a professional jazz pianist, and used standard keyboards to compose and arrange. As a partially sighted individual, I remember vividly having to have a set of coke bottle glasses, trying to see little numbers in a screen about an inch wide, and trying to get the curser over to one of these numbers, and change instruments by changing the numbers, then changing them with a value key, and then recording. By the time I'd finished, my eyes felt like a bit of glass was inside, and it took me at least an hour to recuperate! With the development of software produced by companies like Cakewalk, and Protools, and making their products accessible through companies whose CEO's are themselves blind, the recording field is now open to those who have an interest, and wish to make this a viable profession. Believe me, this is an exciting time for us.

In edition, there is software out there, that will enable one to have axcess to sheet music that is printed in ink as apposed to hand written, and after scanning this, one can listen to the score and memorize it. All of this is possible with screen readers like Jaws, and works beautifully together.

With companies like Dancing Dots, and with heads of such that recognize that blind engineers can do just a good a job in the studio as their sighted counterparts, this profession is now open for us!

Check it out!

I agree completely that adaptive technology has torn down barriers for us and has made us more productive members of society. I for one don't know what I'd do without JAWS. It has allowed me to go online and look things up, send and receive email, discover new programs, and a whole lot more. For example, I recently read about a free weather program that is totally accessible. I also found a website which gives complete and accurate weather forecasts. Now I don't have to put on my winter coat, go stand on my back porch and get rained on only to find out that it is cloudy and rainy and will remain that way throughout the entire week. The latter is definitely good exercise though. But that's besides the point. My extensive knowledge of JAWS has enabled me to give tips to new users such as my roommate. I can't wait for the release of JFW version 8.0 . I think the fact alone that the majority of people who work for Freedom Scientific are themselves visually-impaired, is par for the course. Wouldn't it be wonderful if all companies were like Freedom Scientific? More closer to home, I think Center for Independent Futures and Natural Ties have been excellent models of best practice.

I believe that Adaptive technology have change my life in ways that learning the necessary skills as far as using applications such as, MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and Access.
These are just some of the ways that adaptive technology have changed my life.
As well as using Jaws totally to do my everyday operations on the computer.

Some things that we need to show and say to many employers is the fact that there are many things that we can do on the computer with proper technology such as Jaws for the blind individuals and Zoomtext for the Visually Impaired individuals. Employers need to take a chance on trying to give us Internships to get our feet wet and its a less costly investment for you as a company to bring talented blind/visually impaired individuals into your establishment and showcase there skills.

Just commenting on the percentage of hiring visually impaired workers which is 30%. We wonder why that is that amount. Although, the real question is why is the percentage for blind workers is lower than that of the visually impaired workers? One thing that I've grown to understant is that an employer will hirer an individual who is visually impaired a lot quicker than if they were to hirer somebody that is blind.

In closing, Adaptive technology has come a long way in helping us as a visually impaired/blind or disabled population. Although, there's a lot that needs to be done to continue to help strengthen and enhance the work world that people with disabilities can do the work if given a chance. We need to help these employers break their fears of hiring someone with a disability. This is where internships will play a substantial role in the future of working with people with disabilities.

i
dont get this at all

Getting a job is a competative process. Each of us must prove ourselves to the world. As I looked over the posts to this blog, I noted several spelling and grammer errors. I also note that the CPS data you refered to is almost ten years old. The Federal government work force is down to 1% serverely disabled.We have lost ground in the last several years. I agree with the ideas expressed in the Blogs.

Getting a job is a competative process. Each of us must prove ourselves to the world. As I looked over the posts to this blog, I noted several spelling and grammer errors. I also note that the CPS data you refered to is almost ten years old. The Federal government work force is down to 1% serverely disabled.We have lost ground in the last several years. I agree with the ideas expressed in the Blogs.

"When you take notes with that slate and stylus, it sounds like mice scritching around on the floor," my teacher laughed. Now, no one bats an eye when I flip open my laptop, use an accessible microwave to fix dinner or wake up to a talking alarm clock. No more lugging around a Perkins brailler. No more feeling frustrated because I don't know whether lights are on or off. My light sensor emits a wonderfully annoying high pitch when they're on. My talking thermostat allows me to waste as much energy as I want and even tells me when it's time to change the furnace filter! Security systems for the home tell me when an entry door is open because they talk. Doing research on the Internet is almost an everyday occurrence, thanks to Window-Eyes and its intuitive commands for screen reading.

http://www.gwmicro.com Books for enjoyment or job training can be downloaded or they're on a CD so I can listen to them on a portable device such as the Book Port. As a movie-goer, I don't fall asleep during the mood music because I wear a headset and listen to a narrator succinctly letting me know what others see in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire". After that expensive movie and the steak I ordered from the braille menu at dinner, I ride the bus to the talking ATM where I use an earphone to put in my PIN number and get cash with total confidentiality. "Well," I think on the way home, "I'll just order a few less groceries online this week." In case an employer reads this, remember, October isn't the only month for hiring a very dependable and capable professional.

Adaptive technology has significantly enabled us as blind and visually impaired persons, as well as those with auditory or other impairments limitting information access, to become competent, informed societal members. Using assistive technology to study, as well as to learn/observe what jobbs are out there with respective qualifications allows us to refine our skills to meet such requirements. Through such continued development and refinement of skills, and practicing going through the drag of the interviewing process, we can really convince employers of what we have to offer, which I surely tell you, will certainlly land you a position you can be prowd of. No, you probably can't change the world's preconceived notions, but obtaining credentials, laying out your committment to respective companies, and demonstrating strategies and techniques you would use to fullfill job responsibilities is what we need to do, and what employers want: regardless of their first impressions/apprehensions. I guess what I'm saying is, the first and greatest realization, which we need to develop, and with which I am still very much struggling, on the job, is accepting that we cannot be liked or admired by everyone including perspective employers. Therefore, if one door goes shut, think that that employee has just lost a faithfl worker in you, which you shall now offer to another worthy candidate. God bless us all in our search for our first or fifteenth position.

Now that JAWS isn't the only screen reader I know, I think a few more doors have opened up for me. For instance, I use Non-Visual Desktop Access at work and although that screen reader is still relatively new on the market, I think it's a great option because it is free of charge. I've also explored System Access a bit and like it. When I first installed Non-Visual Desktop at work, I loaded System Access to Go in order to independently navigate to the website for Non-Visual Desktop Access and start the download and installation. Finally, I read about WebAnywhere, a screen reader that is being developed by students in Washington. Although it's true that these web-based screen readers won't work unless an Internet connection is present, they will definitely open up more doors for those of us on limited incomes. My coworkers have all been extremely impressed with my productivity on the job thus far. One current drawback to Non-Visual Desktop Access is that it won't work with Windows Vista, but hopefully the developers of NVDA will implement support for this operating system in the very near future.

Besides JAWS and a few other screen readers, I do have other adaptive technology that has come in very handy during various parts of my everyday existence. It's kind of funny because a long time ago, I never really thought of a Braille microwave or a talking watch as adaptive technology. But you bet they are! Now that I'm in my very own apartment I don't have to wait for my neighbors to start making commotion in order to know it's time to get out of bed in the morning. Nor do I have to wait for someone to come along and heat up a meal for me in the wave because it's inaccessible. Heck we even have little gadgets that tell us when our drinks have reached the top of the glass. Although I don't use mine that much particularly because it's battery life is currently almost over, I do consider my "Say When" liquid level indicator to be a very nice addition to my life.