I have a pet dog, and I am often asked if he is my guide dog. Sometimes I am asked why I don’t have a guide dog, and just have a pet dog. This is kind of a complex answer. Having a guide dog, or not having one, is a decision each blind individual needs to make on their own. It is a personal decision, and there is no right or wrong answer. There are benefits to having a guide dog; and there are benefits to not having one, and just having a pet...
Traveling as a blind individual can be challenging. If we have attended an orientation center for blindness training, we are taught that we can do anything, and that it shouldn’t be challenging. And a lot of that is true. But what we are not taught is how challenging it can be. We are taught to use our resources whether that be city buses, subways, trains, taxi’s, Uber or Lift. We become self sufficient and comfortable using these during...
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Please welcome Teen correspondent, Simon Bonenfant, as he steps into the interviewer role for Blind Abilities. While attending and presenting at the Pennsylvania NFB convention, Simon pulled out his recorder and went to work. Conducting 5 interviews from vendors and presenters. In this interview, Simon talks to Retired Teacher of the Visually Impaired/Orientation and Mobility Instructor Keith Ford. They talk...
Show Summary: (Full Transcript Below) October 11 is White Cane Day in Minnesota and the Blindness community came out strong to support the awareness of the White Cane. Speakers shared the history of White Cane day and others talked about the freedom and independence the white cane brings to them. The Minnesota State Academy for the Blind shared their voices and sang aloud in the Capital’s Rotundra. With the support of the local Lions Clubs,...
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On White Cane Day, Blind Abilities is proud to bring you part 2 of Dr. Amy Kavanagh: Accepting the Cane and Guide Dog Possibilities. Amy has adjusted to her limited vision since she was born and when it came time for the White cane, she thought it was for other people to understand or recognize that she doesn’t see very well. Never thinking she needed a cane for her own good and never thought about using a...
Show Summary: (Transcript Below) Dr. Amy Kavanagh was fed up with the grabbing, pushing, polling from the cited community when she adventured out into the public sphere. All to knowing that the adventure itself was challenging in it’s own right, the unsolicited touching nearly kept her from stepping out of the house. Taking to her Twitter feed, Amy talked about the incidences and created the hashtag #JustAskDontGrab. People started to...
Meet John Greedy Guide Dog Trainer in the UK and His Canine Friend, CC As Jeff Thompson continues to enjoy some R&R in the United Kingdom, he can’t stay away from his Shure MV88 and a great guest to interview! This time Jeff caught up with John Greedy. John is a guide dog trainer working with Guide dogs for the Blind, UK, where he has trained and helped placed guides with their blind and visually impaired partners for 21 years. Jeff met...
Don’t help them, a tale of two pedestrians, Blog Post By Jessica Hodges I was lost. Completely, thoroughly lost. I was also in a bit of a time crunch, because class started in twenty minutes, and while I knew I wasn’t too far from campus and the building I needed, I also knew, due to the nature of being lost, that I could easily end up eight blocks away headed the wrong direction. It was time to flag down a person. “Excuse...
Jeff Thompson gives us a overview of the Soundscape App from Microsoft. Running through the menus and settings and locating reference points as well as near-by bus stops. Here is what Microsoft has to say about their new Soundscape App: When you’re ready, just go for a walk on a well-known route and listen to the callouts to get a sense of how Soundscape works and how you may want to use it. Have fun! Microsoft Soundscape uses 3D audio...
Blind Travel: In Search of Quiche - One Girl’s Morning Out Blog Post by Jessica Hodges What's for Breakfast. This is the quintessential question of the age. What am I going to put in my mouth that will both taste good, and keep me full of energy throughout my day. I decide this morning that the answer is a mini quiche. A quiche is a pastry full of egg, cheese, and other assorted breakfast ingredients. I like mine with bacon, cheddar,...