Credit: http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/education-policy/123
Advocacy Plan
Advocacy for persons with visual impairments often involves increasing accessibility. There are national organizations that work to expand possibilities for people with vision loss by advocating for legislation that will continue to make improvements. One of these organizations, the American Foundation for the Blind, has many examples of successes and ways they continue to advocate. You can look at the issues on their website and join their advocacy efforts by contacting policy makers in Congress. Some of the areas you can support are accessible technology, employment, civil rights, education, health, and policy research. My advocacy action plan is to support the Alice Cogswell and Anne Sullivan Macy Act. This bill is working to ensure specialized instruction for K-12 students who are visually impaired, increase the availability of services and resources, enhance accountability at the state and federal levels, and increase research into best practices for teaching and evaluating students with visual impairments. We need the Cogswell-Macy Act to support students and help them develop to their full potential. It is very simple to support this act by calling your senators and representatives. AFB’s website has step by step instructions and a script that tells you exactly what to say. By supporting this legislation you can help turn the bill into a law and make the school environment a place where students have a better opportunity to thrive.
References:
AFB website with multiple advocacy areas: http://www.afb.org/info/programs-and-services/public-policy-center/12
More information on Cogswell-Macy Act: http://www.afb.org/info/get-connected/take-action/12
Step-by-step instructions: http://www.afb.org/info/get-connected/take-action/take-action-macy-act/125
Credit: https://www.brailleinstitute.org/event/human-sighted-guide-everyone
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership is all about providing the help that a population tellsyou they need. It is not coming in and trying to “solve all their problems” with your own ideas. When approaching a person with visual impairments, it is of utmost importance to ask them if they need help before going ahead and trying to help them. A person with visual impairments might be offended if you assume they cannot do something on their own. One way to provide servant leadership to people with visual impairments is to become a trained sighted guide. This is useful for people who are blind or who have visual impairments. After asking the person if they need assistance, there are specific techniques you should use to help guide them. The basis of the technique is for the person with a visual impairment to hold on to the guide’s arm above the elbow. Guiding signals such as verbal cues are also helpful. For example, telling the person when you are approaching a curb or stairs is a way to provide better guiding service. Sometimes people with visual impairments might be looking for a sighted guide to assist them at an event or in a task like grocery shopping. If you have the chance to act as a sighted guide remember to communicate with the person you are assisting and listen to what they need from you.
More Information: http://www.sightconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/sighted-guide.pdf
Credit: http://www.perkins.org/stories/blind-etiquette-six-ways-to-be-gracious-around-people-with-visual-impairments
Strengths-Based Needs
Those involved in services for people with visual impairments need to do more to recognize the emotional impact of sight loss. According to a study on the emotional impacts of sight loss, “outward signs of sight loss lead to negative self perception because of negative social attitudes towards the visually impaired” (Thurston, 2010). This study also found that people with sight loss encounter problems with mood, social connectedness, identity, and feelings of loss. Individuals who are blind may have had different emotional experiences depending on if they were born sighted or not. When asked about counseling, individuals with sight loss said “there was skepticism about the ability of those who had sight to truly understand the issues involved with sight loss” (Thurston, 2010). The important approach is for counselors to meet people with visual impairments where they are and listen to them for what they need. By listening and working to understand the strengths-focused needs of each individual, counselors can strive to meet clients on emotional and practical levels. I like this graphic because I think it can be helpful to counselors and all people who are sighted. It is a good reminder to use specific descriptions and person first language. People who are blind/visually impaired are capable of doing things on their own but might appreciate a sighted guide or a verbal description as long as you identify yourself and ask first.
Credit: Cameron Bowman – https://www.futurity.org/3d-printing-braille-maps-1110652-2/
Systemic Challenges
People who are blind face systemic challenges living in a world that is designed for sighted people. The more I talk to people with visual impairments, the more I hear about their desire to independently tackle everyday tasks that many sighted people do not think twice about. People who are blind or who have visual impairments are capable of doing things on their own but they often must rely on technology or urban modifications to help them get from point A to point B. For example, a sighted college student getting to class may have to think about navigating sidewalks, bus routes, and classroom buildings. Students who are blind think about all of this and must also consider the possible safety hazards of traffic, construction on paths, or disorientation when braille or other necessary modifications are not made available. While navigating in a society built to be interpreted by vision, “individuals with visual impairments encounter difficulties in safe and independent mobility that deprive them of typical professional and social functioning” (Griffin-Shirley, et. al., 2017). This can affect their daily life in school systems and workplaces. On top of this, it can be extremely insulting when a sighted person sees a person who is blind and automatically assumes they need help. When I spoke with a person who is blind, she told me it is often confusing and insulting to receive assistance when she did not ask for it. For example, when a sighted person opens a door for her in a familiar building, she does not know they are doing this unless the sighted person verbally informs her. Therefore, she will feel around for the door that she knows is usually there. She is aware that sighted people often have good intentions, but she wants them to know that she will ask for help if she needs it. People who are blind are capable human beings who are not helpless in getting around the world. They just have to overcome more obstacles in a world that is built for those with sight and ability privilege.
Annotated Bibliography
Feather, K. A., Bordonada, T. M., & Waddington, A. (2018). Individuals with visual disabilities and substance use disorders: Recommendations for counselors. Journal of Addictions & Offender Counseling, 39(1), 2-14.
The purpose of this journal article is to discuss the counseling needs of people with visual disabilities who also have substance use disorders. The literature in this article noted the prevalence of substance abuse disorders being 50% of individuals with visual disabilities. This position paper argues for evidence-based strategies and interventions for the multi-dimensional needs of individuals with visual impairments and SUDs. The article referenced a study that found “individuals who have a hard time adjusting to their visual disability… have shown increased substance use” (Brooks, DiNitto, Schaller, & Choi, 2014). This study also seems up to date in the discussion of the accurate evaluation, intervention and prevention efforts. This paper argued that counselors must help clients and their families cope with adjusting to a visual disability because risk of SUDs increases with difficulties during that transition period. Counselors must provide clients with appropriate technology, collaboration with other service providers, and orientation to the layout of the building. Most importantly, the counselor must recognize the visual impairment as a part of the client’s identity but not the only defining characteristic. I believe the information in this journal article is relevant and would like to read any research that has been done more recently.
Griffin-Shirley, N., Banda, D. R., Ajuwon, P. M., Cheon, J., Lee, J., Park, H.R., & Lyngdoh, S. N. (2017). A survey on the use of mobile applications for people who are visually impaired. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 111(4), 307-323.
The purpose of this study was to survey people who are visually impaired about their mobile app usage to make daily living easier. The study found that 95.4% of participants rated special apps as useful tools. Literature in the beginning of this article notes barriers to the technology being produced today, such as the use of touch screens, which rely on visual cues (p. 308). A total of 259 participants who were legally blind took the 15 minute survey that explored the use and perception of mobile apps. All participants across multiple age groups reported using mobile apps in their every day life. The most reported apps were tools for visual impairment. The implications of this study are that counselors should be aware and knowledgeable about the apps and technology so they can provide effective therapy to clients. I would question if the sample size was representative of the population and I would increase the sample size. I would also like to know any updates that have been made in these apps and counseling techniques surrounding them, considering our quickly evolving technological world.
O’Mally, J., & Antonelli, K. (2016). The effect of career mentoring on employment outcomes for college students who are legally blind. Journal of Visual Impairment & Blindness, 110(5), 295-307.
The purpose of this article was to discuss a study done on college students who are legally blind and their outcome of finding employment after college. The literature in the first section of this article noted the common barriers to finding employment for people with visual disabilities including transportation, negative employer attitudes, and low self-advocacy and assertiveness (p. 295). In this longitudinal experiment study, 51 students with visual disabilities were randomly assigned to either work with a mentor or use traditional employment preparation methods. Twenty six participants were paired with 26 mentors for a one-on-one yearlong mentorship. Results showed those working with mentors demonstrated increased job-seeking self-efficacy, career adaptability, and gains in assertiveness in job-hunting. However, no significant differences were found in between groups for employment rate. An implication of this study is that college counselors should help students with visual disabilities develop mentor relationships and job-seeking skills during and beyond college. I would question the sample size and possibility of social desirability when students answered the survey after the program.
Thurston M. (2010). An inquiry into the emotional impact of sight loss and the counseling experiences and needs of blind and partially sighted people. Counseling & Psychotherapy Research,10(1), 3-12.
This article was about the link between sight loss and depression. Literature at the beginning of the article talks about the fear, emotional distress, and uncertainty about the future after being diagnosed with an eye condition (p. 3). Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data on the transition of sight loss and the counseling opportunities available. A group of 18 participants were interviewed using the Mental Health and Social Functioning subscales of the Nation Eye Institute 25 Item Visual Functioning Questionnaire. Qualitative data was also collected during interviews with participants. Participants reported that sight loss effected their mental health to varying degrees. Participants also generally had a negative view of counseling, saying either that it wouldn’t help them or that a sighted counselor could never understand. Implications of this study suggest the need for counseling after diagnoses of sight loss and more training for counselors who provide therapy to these clients. I question the sample of this study because it was a small, self-selected group with the average age of 64 who had experienced vision loss. I would like to see the research done on a wider range of ages as well as participants who were born with a visual impairment.
Yuwono, I., Kamil, M., Rahardja, D., & Abdu, W.J. (2017). The effect of guidance and counseling programs on the learning processes of visually impaired high school students. International Journal of Special Education, 32(4), 877-887.
This article investigates the problems in the learning processes of high school students with visual impairments. Literature in this article noted the primary factors affecting the success or failure of students with visual impairments in education systems (p. 879). These factors are primarily non-academic so the study aimed to research how counseling effects the learning of visually impaired students. The study used questionnaire, interview, and observation. The study found that students felt a lack of accessibility in learning facilities and sometimes had trouble fully understanding teachers’ instructions involving visual aids. However, it also found the implementations of counseling helped students with visual impairments feel safe, comfortable, motivated, and confident (p. 886). An implementation of this study is the need for counselors to communicate with teachers in order to help students with visual impairments be most successful. I would question the author’s method of obtaining a sample because it seems that this study should be repeated in more states and school districts to see if it can be more generalized.