WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE VISION-IMPAIRED?

Maribel Steel has been vision-impaired since the age of twelve. She has been using adaptive technology for blind people for many years which has enabled her to complete studies in Professional Aromatherapy, Massage and Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training. She also completed several computer training courses with Vision Australia and learned how to operate a computer with the special screen reading program for blind users known as JAWS.  

Over the past few years, Maribel has given many presentations at TAFE Institutions and several talks to other interested organisations on 'What it is like to be vision-impaired'. The purpose of her talks is to bring an awareness of some of the basic challenges vision-impaired or blind people experience on a daily basis. Her very frank presentations focus on educating sighted people how to best assist a V.I.P (vision-impaired person) to maximise their independence and safe mobility through an unexpected and ever changing environment. Maribel's students learn how to be effective sighted guides in basic daily living skills such as guiding a blind or vision-impaired person to a chair, through a doorway, up or down stairs, to a dining table and how to locate their food and drink. Tips and hints on every aspect of living are incorporated into Maribel's presentations 'straight from the horse's mouth', as a grateful student once commented.

Did you know...

The term legally blind is used when a person cannot see with corrected lenses at 6 metres what a person with normal vision can see at 60 metres.

It might be very interesting to note that over 95% of legally blind people do still retain some useful vision, some people still may have a small amount of central or peripheral vision which can explain why a 'legally blind person' may walk into objects but still notice a small item on the ground.

There are a wide range of services now available to the blind community such as a Vision-impaired telephone help line with information on everything - from learning about special services, pensions, travel concessions, talking book library and other audio gadgets to recreation, technology, adaptive low-vision aids, magnifiers, training courses and much more.

www.visionaustralia.org.au/visioninfo

Listen to a sample of JAWS (the computer screen reading program) read:

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children

To earn the appreciation of honest critics

And endure the betrayal of false friends

To appreciate beauty, to find the best in another

To leave the world a bit better whether by a healthy child, a garden patch,

or a redeemed social condition:

To know even one life was breathed easier because you have lived -

This is to have succeeded

Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you know an organisation, corporate business or other group who would be interested in engaging Maribel to give one of her inspiring presentations, please contact her at:

maribel@springstudio.com.au

"One cannot discover new oceans

until one has courage to lose sight of the shore"

 

 

 

website designed by Bee Wiliamson - www.hive.id.au