I'm afraid I don't agree Darren.
it is the stated purpose of organizations like the Rnib to generally serve
and improve the lot of blind people. When a person newly goes blind, they
aren't told "go off and find products that are advertized" they are
introduced to the Rnib, ---- and if they are lucky, other organizations too,
to provide information, training and access to useful products.
indeed recently in Britain the government has pretty much out sourced all!
disability related administration to external agencies and charities.
While I am not generally in favour of the "blind community" aspect of
things, ie, people believing there is some special characteristic about
blind people that makes them sort of like a nationality with their own
identity, there is stil a need to distribute and share information and
useful techniques as their is with any group of people with a specific
interest or vocation.
if you are interested in say for instance learning to play golf, yes, you
can learn on your own, go on the net and buy your own clubs etc, but you'd
be far better to join a golf club which will be able to put you in touch
with golf related information, such as location of nearest links, where to
buy clubs etc.
To carry on this golf analogy, the Rnib is like a golf club which only
advertizes a set of 5 foot long irons on the basis that that is all that is
available and all that their members should be expected to use on every
course.
They are failing in their duty of information, and indeed in their duty of
care to provide for all! blind people in the Uk.
For instance, the lady I trained with with my dog was a database designer
before going blind four years previously and had been a big rpg fan. When
she made enquiries about accessible games, she was told only about Azabat,
and not even notified that others existed.
This is how the Rnib were failing in their function, sinse they were not
providing correct information to her or indeed taking into account her
preferences.
in fact to borrow an arguement from my thesis, the Rnib were failing to
acknolidge that for her, the "disability" of having a visual imparement
included a frustration of her desire to play rpg games, and thus the Rnib
were compounding the disability, rather than as their charter would suggest
aiding it.
Beware the grue!
Dark.
---
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