NCR Diversity, Equality and Inclusion News #56: National Disability Employment Awareness Month
NCR Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Cultural Observances, Awareness Information and Events
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Points from the Blind Community
No two people’s experience, abilities, or confidence is the same. We are all diverse in this journey of life.
When fully sighted person is looking at something that is 200 feet away and sees it clearly, that is 20/20 vision.
Never assume someone’s level of vision, just know that it is far worse than yours.
Not everyone who identifies as blind is totally blind. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, 15% of our blind community sees nothing at all. The rest of us have varying degrees of vision remaining, with the vision we have being limited and often unreliable.
Vision loss is a non-apparent disability. You cannot always tell if someone is blind. If someone tells you they are blind or partially sighted, believe them and take it as a compliment that they trusted you to share it with. For some people with vision loss, this is a very big deal.
Not everyone who is blind uses a mobility device. Some people may use a white cane, and others may choose from the different types of canes available. Some choose to have a guide dog, while others prefer to rely on their remaining vision. Some of us want to travel by sighted guide and others just prefer to follow. We all have different preference because we are all different from each other.
If you want to know about a person’s sight, or have questions, ask them to get accurate information.
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To become aware, put yourself into the shoes of a person who is blind or visually impaired. Now try grocery shopping.
Put on foggy eye glasses to simulate visual disability or use a blindfold to simulate being blind or visually disabled. Consider having a sighted person along to ensure your safety. If you don’t have a sighted person with you, you can ask the store for assistance.
- How will you create your shopping list?
- How will you get to the store location?
- How will you locate the entrance to the store?
- How will you find a cart?
- How will you determine where the items you need are located in the store?
- How will you determine what you want is what you want and brand?
- How will you know where the shelves are located?
- How will you know the pricing?
- How will you know if items are on sale?
- How will you know if items are correct pricing in checkout?
- How will you use a credit card on a transaction?
- How will you determine of the bill is correct?
- How do you pack your items?
- How would you deal with self-checkout?
- Were you able to find a barcode and use a barcode reader?
These are just a few of the many challenges to consider for someone who is blind or visually impaired. While going through the above challenge, did you find additional obstacles?
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Lt Col Bonnie Braun
NCR Diversity Officer
