Hi Listers,
Lisa has a good point about whose users who are deafblind. My next question
would be aren't employers supposed to be responsible for providing
accomodations for people who are blind or deafblind or regardless of the
disability? Employers need to understand how important how vital technology is
to people who are blind or visually impaired. In my opinion employers need to
provide two pieces of technology in case one devices breaks down. If they'd
think about it they'd realize there other employees have different ways of
communicating they can write handwritten notes, my can email something to the
boss, they have different ways of communicating. Why should the blind or
visually impaired person be reduced to only one way of communicating written
language? I know I'm a big baby out here in the tropics where getting
technology for my job wasn't a problem since my boss who is blind is in charge
of the program where I work and we work with kids who are blind. So having to
f!
ight for accommodations was not an issue for me. I just think employers and
employees need to sit down and come up with strategies to address how the
employee will handle the job if the technology is in need of repair or
something. It should not have to be the employee's responsibility to figure
out how he/she will survive without having the Braillenote. I think often
employers think if I buy this one device for thousands of dollars I will have
accommodated this person. They don't stop to think that people who are blind
can communicate in other ways through writing without just using one piece of
technology. It would be nice if PDI would establish a loaner program but in
the meantime Braillenote users and employers and state agencies and schools
everyone need to seriously think about how and what they will do when the piece
of technology isn't working. I think this needs to be addressed before the
device is even purchased. I didn't mean to get off topic here I just w!
ant to encourage people to think and it shouldn't be just us the Brail
lenote users and the PDI staff having to think about this problem. It would be
nice if everyone could work together on this problem to help form a solution.
Thanks for reading. I'm not trying to start any major discussions or anything
I just wanted to share my thoughts.
Lisa
