Hi, Richard!  Recently you wrote in a message to Ardith Hinton:

AH>  Our friend's mother wants her to learn Braille because
AH>  she's reached a point where the printing has to be
AH>  enlarged so much that even at elementary level a single
AH>  word may not necessarily fit onto a single page.  But
AH>  it seems that everywhere Mom goes looking for help she's
AH>  told "We don't do Braille any more"... (sigh).

RW>  THere is a CAnadian FEderation of the Blind.  Have her
RW>  look on www.nfb.org, there may be links.


           Ah.  Thankyou... I'll make sure she knows about it.  :-)



RW>  There waso might be assistance for her via Canadian
RW>  National Institute for the Blind.


           Yes, the family now has some materials & equipment on loan
from the CNIB.  Mom reported a couple of years ago, however, that the CNIB
was not very co-operative at the time because her daughter wasn't blind
enough yet!  One of the problems we have encountered with organizations in
general is the way they determine who qualifies for assistance.  It's
obvious to this girl's mother... and to a certain pair of old
schoolteachers... that she's functionally blind & has been for awhile. 
I guess such organizations have to set limits somewhere. But Dallas & I
have been in far too many other situations where it seems we're alone in
recognizing what's happening & in making long-term educational plans.



RW>  It's important to get the little ones started with
RW>  braille asap in these situation, imnsho.


           That's my take on it.  Others disagree because they believe
sighted or partially sighted folks try to cheat by using their eyes.  When
a kid can't locate white crockery on a black tablecloth without using her
fingers, I don't imagine she can see tiny raised dots with no colour
contrast at all!  A person who can see well enough to read large print
and/or who is satisfied with being read to by synthesized voices may not
feel motivated to learn Braille, however
... from that standpoint you were fortunate in some ways.  At the blind
school you probably didn't have a choice & your classmates were
learning it too.  ;-)

                                News Update

           In our friend's case we're not sure how much of the desire to
learn Braille comes from Mom & how much comes from her.  Maybe the
folks at the CNIB had some reservations about that at first.  Mom is not
particularly assertive, but she's learning.  In September her daughter will
be entering high school... where she'll allegedly get Braille instruction
from a woman who is blind.  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+