Good afternoon colleagues,
I have some deaf blind students who tend to ask to be guided at different activities in their personal lives. some of them have been complaining to me that people who used to offer this service to them in their community activities are no longer willing to make physical contact with them. Because of varying degrees of hearing loss, the individuals are struggling with voice commands and directions. One of the complaints is that people are beginning to grab their canes again and try to pull them around. Most people do not have 6 foot canes but somehow people who are afraid to give an arm feel that this is not too close. Naturally, no blind person wants to be dragged around by her or his cane. Not only is it an abuse of our tool but it also keeps us from previewing where we are walking.
Have any of my fellow orientation and mobility instructors come up with good suggestions for deaf blind people who need to be guided more frequently than the rest of us?
Jane Lansaw
Tulsa Oklahoma
Sent from my iPhone
