Blindness Briefs – Edition 55 – World Blind Herald

Pneuma Solutions provides a seamless bridge between access technology and mission critical applications for both consumers and businesses. Remote Incident Manager (RIM) is a fully accessible remote desktop product for technical support, training, or simply helping friends and family with their computers. Read all about Remote Incident Manager
(RIM) and our other accessible cloud solutions here.

What's Inside

Blind teen writes joke book.
Blind fashion designer asked by celebrity for something special.
Blind woman refused a drink by bartender because she had no caregiver with her.
Blind woman arrested under "gangsters act."
Blind Edinburgh woman starts arts program for blind.
Australian Open offers blind tennis exposition and tournament.
And, about 42 other articles about all things blindness and blind people from the entire English speaking world.

Editorial By Chris Hofstader

Welcome to edition 55 of Blindness Briefs, the most comprehensive weekly news source related to blindness and blind from all over the English speaking world. Curating each week's edition and that of Science Briefs is a labor intensive process and we're happy that we've received so much positive feedback on it over the past year.

It's hard for me to pick a favorite article this week as there's so much good stuff in this edition. Some of the stories this week are pretty tragic while others are downright heartwarming. This is the diversity of ideas we were hoping to bring to our readers, the good, bad and ugly of our community and I think we're succeeding.

Blindness Briefs publishes stories that are almost entirely from mainstream publications so it also gives our community a perspective on how we, both as individuals and as a community, are covered in the news all over the world. As I've been curating the stories for 55 consecutive weeks now, I'm forming some interesting conclusions about the different public perceptions of the blind community and how it varies around the world. Look forward to a feature article on this subject in a future issue of World Blind Herald.

How It's Organized

Blindness Briefs is a very simple page to read. The categories are at heading level 2 and the stories are links at heading level 3. So, navigation to the sections and stories you find interesting is quite simple.

Braille

Tyler's Lighthouse For the Blind says significance of braille remains

She says she has 10% usable vision, so she quickly learned how to read braille. And now, she teaches people how to operate braille equipment. This story comes to us from: KTRE.

Technology

Technology helps a blind teen write a joke book

A Murray teen who is blind is writing a book. It's a short collection of jokes and it's made possible with the help of technology and teachers. This story comes to us from: KSL TV.

Student made device for blind persons | How does it work?

Editor: This story is told as a video.

This story comes to us from: YouTube.

Braille-training glove reads and speaks braille characters

It can be difficult for blind people to learn to read braille, as they don't have any way of seeing which character the dots that they're feeling represent. That's where the BrailleWear glove comes in, as it verbally tells them. This story comes to us from: newatlas.

Exploring Accessible Technology: Benefits, Challenges and Best Practices

Accessible technology is an area of increasing importance in the tech world. It is defined as technology that is designed to be used by people with disabilities, including physical, sensory, cognitive and neurological impairments. From making everyday tasks easier to providing new opportunities, accessible technology can help individuals with disabilities lead more independent lives. This story comes to us from: The Enlightened Mindset.

Students invent digital walking device for visually impaired

… at North Bay Haven Charter Academy, collaborated to create a digital ultrasound walking aid for the visually impaired and blind people. This story comes to us from: Waco Tribune-Herald.

Blindness Organizations

Vital People: Pacific Training Centre launches blindness immersion program

The Pacific Training Centre has an innovative new blindness immersion program on Bowen Island. Tess van Straaten reports. This story comes to us from: CHEK News.

Meigs Health Matters: Vision Assistance Programs for Children and Adults

The estimated annual financial burden to the Ohio economy due to vision problems, refractive errors, visual impairment and blindness is $5.4 billion. This story comes to us from: Meigs Independent Press.

Home for blind to come up in Kakinada

Kakinada district collector Kritika Shukla has instructed officials to identify a site for construction of a home for the blind in Kakinada. She also ordered that the new building being built for the deaf and dumb school be completed at the earliest. This story comes to us from: Deccan Chronicle.

Hounslow Council launch £500000 partnership with sight loss charities

Today saw the official launch of a partnership between Hounslow Council, the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) and the Middlesex Association for the Blind (MAB) at Feltham Assembly Hall. This story comes to us from: London Borough of Hounslow.

Libya's NCDC and Anti-Blindness Committee sign cooperation deal

The two sides agreed to provide necessary tools and to develop an urgent strategy for the prevention, control and treatment of eye diseases in general. This story comes to us from: The Libya Observer.

Education

Special training for blind people

Editor: This story is told in a video.

This story comes to us from: YouTube.

Students from Montana School for the Deaf and Blind reach finals of STEM competition

Montana School for the Deaf and Blind team qualifies as state finalists in Samsung STEM competition. This story comes to us from: Great Falls Tribune.

Employment

Local fashion designer asked to create one-of-a-kind beadwork piece for Hollywood actor

“To be part of the visually impaired and blind community and be given such an opportunity was quite amazing. This story comes to us from: Prince Albert Daily Herald.

Groom cancelled my MC engagement on learning I'm blind – Broadcaster

It has been really challenging. There are many missed opportunities. I remember there was an engagement I was meant to emcee but they (organisers) were disappointed when they found out that I am blind. Sometimes, we’ll go through a process online and I would be successful until they invited me for a physical chat and found out I cannot see. They would be surprised how I was able to go through the process despite the disability. Some people do not even want to hear me simply because I am blind. To them, whatever I want to say is irrelevant. Some people do not even understand what it means to be blind. They don’t see me as an individual they should talk to. If I could see, maybe, things would have been a bit easier. This story comes to us from: punchng.com.

Discrimination and Inaccessibility

Woman with vision impairment refused drink at Adelaide hotel because she didn't have a carer

A woman living with a vision impairment says she was refused a drink by an Adelaide bartender because she was "unaccompanied" and "didn't have a carer" with her. This story comes to us from: ABC.

Safety

Blind Regina woman without guide dog struggles with unshovelled sidewalks

Editor: I lived in Cambridge, Massachusetts full time for many years and, while it may be one of the most left wing leaning cities in America, pedestrian issues are a very low priority. There, they plow the snow onto the sidewalks and we blind people need to share the streets with the motorists and I've no idea how a person in Cambridge who uses a wheelchair can even leave their home if there's snow on the ground.

It’s been one year since the City of Regina enacted the sidewalk snow removal bylaw, but not everyone has been following it. The lack of compliance impacts those who rely on cleared walkways, particularly those with disabilities. This story comes to us from: Global News.

Near-blind King's Lynn man slams lack of support from Norfolk County Council and West

A near-blind man has slammed a lack of safety measures in Lynn for those who suffer with poor sight. This story comes to us from: Lynn News.

Poverty

Thousands raised for blind and homeless Sunnyvale man

A homeless blind and hearing-impaired Sunnyvale senior, who spends his days listening to a radio, received a surge of community support to help. This story comes to us from: San Jose Spotlight.

Crime

Blind woman, bedridden for 20 yrs, booked under Gangsters Act in Meerut

The UP Police have booked a woman, bedridden since the past 20 years, under the Gangsters Act and her entire family has been named in case pertaining to a financial transaction that never happened. This story comes to us from: IBTimes India.

JR East employee sexually harassed visually impaired female passenger

A male employee of East Japan Railway Co repeatedly made comments deemed to be of a sexually harassing nature to a visually impaired female passenger at a Tokyo station for three months until earlier this month, company officials say. The railway operator, commonly known as JR East, is considering disciplinary action against the employee, who made comments such as, "Isn't your chest heavy? I can carry it for you," while guiding her to the platform from the ticket gate, the officials said. This story comes to us from: Japan Today.

Guide Dogs

Taxi driver fined for leaving blind couple with guide dogs stranded

Rajan Anwar was found guilty of failing to fulfill a booking made by a disabled person due to the presence of an assistance dog in July 2021. This story comes to us from: BBC.

Politics

[Rajasthan Becomes First State To Implement Policy For Blindness Control][112]

In a first in the country, the Rajasthan government has implemented a policy for blindness control with the objective of 'Right to Sight'. This story comes to us from: Ommcom News.

Legal

Blind woman takes City of Maple Ridge to B.C. Humans Rights Tribunal

A years-long case with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal will finally be coming to an end as the City of Maple Ridge and Maria Kovacs’ lawyer will be making their closing statements on Jan. 24. This story comes to us from: Maple Ridge News.

Hiland Dairy to pay $140K to Oklahoma man following breach of ADA

Hiland Dairy will pay $140,000 to an Oklahoma man after they withdrew a job offer because he was “legally blind” which is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission says on Friday, Jan. 6, that Hiland Dairy – a Springfield, Mo.,-based dairy distributor and producer – will pay $140,000 to resolve a disability discrimination lawsuit. A lawsuit filed by the EEOC indicates that Hiland refused to hire a man to work at its Norman, Okla., plant due to his vision impairment. The company initially offered the man a dairy plant worker position with the knowledge that he had a disability, however, withdrew the offer after a standard pre-employment medical exam. This story comes to us from: WIBW.

Business

Vision Impairment Market Expected to Reach US$ 4,362.8 Mn

Vision impairment is the loss of vision that cannot be corrected by refraction (glasses). A variety of eye disorders can result in visual impairment. Trauma, as well as brain and nerve disorders, can cause visual impairment. People are affected differently by visual impairments. It can range from having no vision (blindness) to having very low vision and being unable to see specific colours. There are numerous assistive devices available for managing visual impairment, ranging from educational devices like Braille Writers and reading machines to mobility devices like canes and crutches. These devices assist visually impaired people in reading printed material or surfing the web through the use of assistive technology devices such as screen readers, screen magnifiers, and others. This story comes to us from: openPR.com.

Age Related Vision Dysfunction Market is expected to accumulate a valuation of US$ 130

The rising incidence of visual impairment and blindness is a primary driver of the global age-related vision dysfunction market's expansion. This story comes to us from: Digital Journal.

At-home Molecular Health Diagnostics Market – Industry Trends and Forecast to 2029

… (NIH) RADx initiative and the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) to ensure ECHT is accessible to users who are blind. This story comes to us from: Digital Journal.

Lifestyle

Blind gunshot victim finding a new purpose through his community

Gun violence is changing the lives of many people across the country. For one man in the south suburbs, his near-death experience allowed him to find his purpose. This story comes to us from: Yahoo News.

Will you help make Webster City more accessible?

There is no sidewalk to the east shelter in West Twin Park. This means the shelter is not accessible to some people with disabilities. It is an example of how citizens of Webster City can help advise the City of Webster City as it updates its Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. If you know of sites or services that are in need of an upgrade, the meeting Jan. 23 at the Webster City Middle School is the place to make your concerns heard.This story comes to us from: The Freeman Journal.

Actor Parvin Dabas Post About CISF Jawan Helping Visually Impaired Man Goes Viral Wins Hearts

The Jawan, Sunny Sulaniya assisted the partially-blind man to the bathroom and also helped him wash his hands. This story comes to us from: ABP LIVE – ABP News.

We once slept at Park Station to not miss the first church service, hoping to heal my blindness

Lebogang Bale is not letting being blind stop him from going after his dream of being a model.
He was the only blind model who entered the Face of Humanity SA in December 2022. He came onto the ramp with high confidence and a competitive spirit, and he won the title. This story comes to us from: News24.

Seeing Possibility in the Impossible

Kaiya Armstrong, a 22-year-old woman who is legally blind, flew a Cessna from Scottsdale, Arizona, to Washington, D.C. This story comes to us from: FLYING Magazine.

Blind Stevenage mum to take on abseil for Lister Hospital where daughter works

A 60-year-old mum who has been registered blind since birth is to complete an 11-storey abseil. Described as an "absolute superstar", Kathy Simper will be raising money for Lister Hospital, where daughter Natasha works. This story comes to us from: HertsLive.

Art and Artists

Blind Edinburgh woman creates performing arts group to help 'break down barriers

An Edinburgh woman has been praised after launching a group to help other blind and partially sighted people get into the performing arts. This story comes to us from: Edinburgh Live.

Blind singer who amazed neighbours in lockdown receives standing ovation on Michael McIntyre's Big Show

A blind woman from Wales who amazed her neighbours by singing on her doorstep during lockdown appeared as an unexpected star on Michael McIntyre's Big Show. Anne Wilkins, from Bridgend, is a singing teacher and soprano who has performed all around the world. This story comes to us from: Wales Online.

Blind on stage: they played so beautifully that you could go crazy

They can't see, they are visually impaired and yet they dance the cancan on the theatre floor. – How do I feel on stage? Since I lost my sight very well, because without stage fright," laughs one of the actresses of the Integrative Blind Actor's Theatre. This story comes to us from: TVP World.

A Smirk, a Smile, a Clenched Fist: What the Movies Taught Me to See

Many people enjoy movies. But people are often surprised that I do, too, because I am legally blind. I don’t watch a film the way a sighted person does, but the experience opens up a whole world for me. Like many other people who are legally blind, as I have been my whole life, I do have some vision. I see colors, I see motion, and I see faces, though I may not recognize whose faces they are unless they are very near. I can write on my iPad and computer and read on my Kindle if I enlarge the font enough. I can watch movies or TV if I’m close to the screen. This story comes to us from: The New York Times.

Made in St. Louis: Blind woman's love of sewing goes from Barbie dresses to trendy handbags

Rachel Shelton makes functional and environmentally friendly clutches, handbags, cross-body bags, shoulder bags and belt bags. This story comes to us from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Sports and Athletes

I feel like a golfer': Blind golf events bring Indian Wells resident back to game she loves

The hardest part about participating in blind golf tournaments for Linda Port was, well, admitting that she was a blind golfer. “I didn’t want to join it because, then I have to really be disabled,” said Port, a part-time Indian Wells resident, about her decision to start playing blind golf. This story comes to us from: The Desert Sun.

Hockey event in Saskatoon gives blind kids a chance to strap on skates

Dreams came true in a Saskatoon hockey rink Tuesday afternoon as blind and partially blind kids hit the ice alongside the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's hockey team. This story comes to us from: CBC.

How blind tennis is played with a tinkling ball

The first time Alicia Molik played blind tennis, the former world No. 8 singles player found herself swinging at thin air. Molik, who was wearing simulation glasses to block out her vision, last month faced off against Courtney Webeck and Mick Leigh, who are Australian champions in blind and low-vision tennis. This story comes to us from: – The Age.

Australian Open 2023: Blind and low-vision matches will be played at the tournament for the first time

Blind and low-vision tennis matches will be played during the 2023 Australian Open tournament for the first time. Those involved are hoping it will broaden its worldwide appeal. This story comes to us from: SBS.

Gujarat Win 9th Edition Of National Blind Cricket Tournament

Gujarat won the Siyaram's National Blind Cricket Tournament held at the P.J. Hindu Gymkhana here, beating Maharashtra by 10 wickets in the final on Saturday.
The championship witnessed participation from eight teams — Maharashtra, Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and Punjab. This story comes to us from: CricketNMore.com.

All you need to know about IndusInd Bank Women's National T20 Cricket Tournament

Indian women's cricket team captain, Harmanpreet Kaur, is named as the brand ambassador for women's blind cricket. This story comes to us from: Female Cricket.

Blind footballer Dave Clarke appointed British Paralympic Association CEO

blind footballer Dave Clarke has been appointed as chief executive of the British Paralympic Association. Clarke, who competed at Atlanta 1996 in goalball, scored a record 128 goals in 144 appearances for England in blind football and will succeed Mike Sharrock when he assumes the role in mid-March. This story comes to us from: Yahoo News.

Don't miss any more articles like this one by subscribing to World Blind Herald:

[jetpack_subscription_form title=”Subscribe to World Blind Herald” subscribe_text=”Get new posts via email” subscribe_button=”Sign Me Up” show_subscribers_total=”0″]

–End

Advertisement