Hi Listers,
As many of you know, I work for Oklahoma Department of rehabilitation services, an agency not exactly known for supporting the structured discovery Learning philosophy. Fortunately, I’m itinerant and when I’m out in the field, there is nobody to criticize my use of structured discovery with my clients.
Here’s my ethical problem. They want to send me out into the field to give sunglasses to people who are not legally blind. Yes I know our people don’t generally handle filters because we are trying to help people optimize vision instead of maximize vision but in my job I have to do filters. OK, I can do that.
Problem is now they are giving me referrals for people who are not even legally blind. It started with people who just had cataracts removed and needed filters to deal with bright light and sunlight. I thought I had my managers persuaded that this is not a blindness issue and these people should go to vision clinics or even just to Walmart to pick up some filters on their own to satisfy their needs. After all, I’m a highly trained Blindness Professional. Later they started sending people who are not just post cataract, but have other pathologies which allow them to drive with the blessing of the doctor and vocational counselor and just want sunglasses for better contrast. My problem is I don’t want to help anybody drive better. I’m not teaching driver’s ed in high school.
I also think it’s not ethical for a blindness specialist to help a sighted person drive better. My manager sent me the policy manual and said there was nothing in it to help me stop these referrals of people are not legally blind. Guys I need some ammunition.
Is there anything I can use in our code of ethics to help me stop getting these “Junk referrals “?
I’m really getting tired of this, and I also think somebody could get hurt by taking my word for a pair of sunglasses. They have some kind of pathology that makes them eligible to be a client at Services for the blind and visually impaired in the first place. My giving them sunglasses for better contrast could just get them into more trouble.
Jane Lansaw NOMC
Sent from my iPhone
> On Oct 23, 2025, at 2:50 PM, NBPCB Office via NOMC <members(a)lists.nbpcb.org> wrote:
>
> National Blindness Professional Certification Board
>
> The Authority on Structured Discovery Instruction
>
>
>
> Over the past few months, the National Blindness Professional Certification
> Board has received numerous inquiries on what the term Structured Discovery,
> certified Structured Discovery Training Center, and Structured Discovery
> Instructor/Professional mean. The NBPCB believes and advocates that
> Structured Discovery is the best form of instruction and methodology to
> empower blind people when learning non-visual skills for independence. In
> celebration of blindness achievement month and white cane awareness day that
> passed on October 15th, the NBPCB is publishing a white paper/position paper
> on what defines Structured Discovery, which is attached here and can be
> freely distributed. For individuals who have graduated from a certified
> Structured Discovery Training Center or who have worked with a Structured
> Discovery certified instructor, one can be confident that they have had the
> best form of instruction possible and have achieved a significant
> accomplishment; as Structured Discovery Training is both challenging and
> rewarding due to the new pathways, expectations, skills, and philosophy on
> blindness that they have developed throughout their training.
>
>
>
> At present, NBPCB oversees three certifications which are based on
> Structured Discovery Training -- the National Orientation and Mobility
> Certification (NOMC), National Certification in Rehabilitation Teaching for
> the Blind (NCRTB), and the National Certification in Access Technology for
> the Blind (NCATB). Additionally, the board oversees one credential that
> measures braille proficiency -- the National Certification in Unified
> English Braille (NCUEB). NBPCB also credentials Community-based
> Rehabilitation training Programs which conduct immersion and training of
> Structured Discovery Professionals and provide adjustment training for those
> experiencing significant sight loss - Certified Structured Discovery
> Training Centers (CSDTC)
>
>
>
> The National Blindness Professional Certification Board wants to thank all
> the professionals, instructors, and educators who have obtained their NOMC,
> NCRTB, NCATB, and NCUEB. These instructors have been certified to teach
> using the Structured Discovery model and continue to uphold the high
> expectations that the NBPCB expects out of their certified instructors. To
> find out if someone is certified by the NBPCB, go to this link.
>
> https://nbpcb.org/pages/lookup.php
>
>
>
> In addition, we want to thank our certified Structured Discovery Training
> Centers for providing an environment and culture that embodies and
> represents the teachings of Structured Discovery. Structured Discovery
> Training Centers transform lives, redefines expectations for blind people,
> and are the epitome of quality blindness training across the world. To see
> the7 certified Structured Discovery Training Centers who have met the rigor,
> quality, and standards set by the NBPCB, follow the below link.
>
> https://nbpcb.org/pages/NBPCBcenterapproval.php
>
>
>
> To learn more about what defines Structured Discovery, please read the
> attached white paper/position statement or visit our website.
>
> https://nbpcb.org/
>
>
>
> If you are looking for a career in changing the lives of blind people,
> please reach out to the NBPCB as obtaining a certification is the first step
> to a fulfilling career in blindness.
>
>
>
>
>
> Happy blindness achievement month and white cane awareness day,
>
> National Blindness Professional Certification Board
>
>
>
> NBPCB Office
>
> PO Box 2373
>
> Ruston LA 71273
>
> 318 299-7340
>
> <mailto:admin@nbpcb.org> admin(a)nbpcb.org
>
> <http://www.nbpcb.org/> www.nbpcb.org
>
> <https://www.nbpcb.org/pages/lookup.php> Click here to verify the status of
> NBPCB certified professionals
>
> Sign up for the Structured Discovery Announcement mailing list
> <https://lists.nbpcb.org/mailman3/lists/sdteaching.lists.nbpcb.org/> here.
>
>
>
> <2025 NBPCB Position Statement on Structured Discovery.pdf>
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