Dating with a Disability

Dating with a Disability Tips

Dating can be challenging in general but add in a disability like being blind or visually impaired and it can cause a lot of other stressors! We wanted to share some tips on how to navigate dating as a blind or visually impaired person in today’s world. Whether you use dating apps or prefer not to we’ve got tips for you!  

How to Meet People

There a plenty of ways to meet people these days! From using dating apps to meeting people organically, it can still happen with a disability. We interviewed several clients and staff for this blog post, and they had mixed reviews of dating apps. A lot of them are not very accessible for the blind and visually impaired. One client finds he has luck using Facebook dating, using Facebook’s dating services but also joining groups and interacting with people on there. When it comes to using groups or Facebook dating, the client noted it was important to not expect to get a response right away.

Another way to meet people who might be going through something similar, especially if you are new to vision loss, is to get involved with the blind community! Whether that is coming to WSB for one of our vocational training programs or getting involved in your local community, it is great to find people who are going through something similar. We have more tips on getting involved in the community in our blog post about grief and vision loss here.

To Disclose or Not  

This really comes down to personal preference. Some people like to disclose right off the bat, and some people might not. It might also help if you meet someone organically who already knows about your disability. One client at WSB mentioned they liked to disclose right away so that their date may know what is difficult for them or what they might need help with. They also like to disclose early on so they know if it will be an issue or not.

And remember, if someone isn’t perceptive because of your disability, it has nothing to do with you! They are not the right person for you.

Have an open mind

While you might be familiar with your own disability, it is important to have an open mind to others with different disabilities. They might be even more understanding.

Plan Ahead

We all know as people who are visually impaired or blind we have to plan ahead and coordinate how you are going to get somewhere. Making sure you have a ride setup takes a lot of stress out of the date.

Stay safe 

It is extremely important, especially as people who blind and visually impaired, to stay safe when going on dates! Make sure to let someone know where you are going and how long you might be gone. Keep your cellphone charged in case you need to call someone to come pick you up or need to call an Uber. Another great safety tip is to meet your date instead of them picking you up especially if you have never met them before.

Be Comfortable

One client mentioned they are more cautious with dating after their vision loss so it is vital to be as comfortable as possible! For a date try and go somewhere you feel comfortable so that you know how to navigate it, know the menu, etc. For example, you might not want to pick a really dark bar for a first date if you have trouble seeing at night.

Do you have any dating tips with a disability? Let us know in the comments!

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6 Facts about Braille for Braille Literacy Month

image overlooking someone reading braille with white text “Fun facts about Braille for Braille Literacy Month by World Services for the Blind

6 Facts about Braille that might surprise you | Braille Literacy Month

January is Braille Literacy Month and we wanted to share a few fun facts about braille, whether you are an avid braille user or know nothing about the code.

1.     Braille is not a language

While a lot of people may assume that braille is a language, braille is actually a code. It uses symbols that can be used in many different languages.  

2.     Only about 10% of those who are legally blind use braille daily.

This is a drastic change to what it used to be for the literacy of braille users. In the 1960s, 50% of those who were legally blind were braille users. But with the advancements in technology, including smartphones, braille is becoming less common. But at WSB, we recognize the importance and significance of braille. We want to highlight the significance of it for the blind community!

Our Braille Instructor Meranda reflects on the importance of braille:

"Just like with a sighted person, listening to something is not the same as reading it. When you read with your eyes, or in my case my fingers, you pick up grammar and spelling. Before learning braille I was a really bad speller and used a lot of punctuation incorrectly. Through learning braille, I picked up on this and started correcting them on my own. Without braille I would still be making those same mistakes. Most importantly, it gives me back my independence. I can read a menu, signs for a building, buttons in an elevator, or connecting a braille display to my phone to communicate in private again." Meranda Walter, WSB Braille Instructor 

3.     There is a different type of braille used for math

Nemeth code is the standard code used for math and science.  

4.     There is a braille font

Swell Braille is used when you need something typed out in braille, for example, a 3D printer. We even added some Swell Braille font to the image of this blog post in the righthand corner!

5.     There are two kinds of braille  

The two types of braille include Grade 1 and Grade 2 – or uncontracted and contracted braille. Grade 2 braille is Literary braille, using “shortcuts” of letters where one letter might represent a word. Contacted braille allows for books to be smaller when printed, although they are still lengthy compared to printed books!  

6.     Braille is becoming more common for consumers

While the users of braille may be smaller, there are more companies who are including tactile and braille code into their products! From Herbal Essences adding taHerbal Essences adding tactile markers to their bottlesbraille there are a lot of products making their products accessible for the blind and visually impaired.

If you would like to learn braille, be sure to check out our Braille webpage and all WSB has to offer!

5 Ways to Give Back to the Blind Community This Holiday Season

photo of people holding hands with white text “how to lend a hand to the blind & visually impaired this holiday season by world services for the blind”

Last year, we featured a gift guide for the blind and visually impaired for the holiday season. So this year we wanted to give you some tips on how to give back to the blind and visually impaired community. These are tips for those who are sighted as well as if you are in the blind and visually impaired community yourself. Keep reading to learn about 5 ways you can give back to the blind community this holiday season!

1.     Volunteer with an organization near you

There are so many great organizations providing life-changing services to the blind and visually impaired. At WSB, we are always happy to have volunteers help out with driving, gardening, and a wide range of other activities! But if you are not local to the Little Rock area, there are plenty of organizations across the US who would love your help!  

2.     Volunteer with Be My Eyes

This tip is for those who are sighted, and it is volunteering with Be My Eyes! We’ve talked about Be My Eyes several times on the blog (blog posts here and here) but we wanted to give a special shout out that because it is such a simple way to give back. Be My Eyes connects a sighted volunteer with a blind or visually impaired caller to help them with all sorts of tasks from making sure a color matches to reading a label.

3.     Offer to pick up groceries or run errands

Another great opportunity to give back is to offer to pick up groceries or give a ride to someone who is blind or visually impaired. This might seem like a simple gesture but means so much to those in the blind and visually impaired community.

4.     Offer a listening ear

The holidays can be difficult, especially for those who are blind and visually impaired and feel isolated because of that. By providing a listening ear, you can really make someone’s day. You may not have all the answers or solutions but by simply listening and validating their experience you can do a world of difference.

5.     Donate to WSB!

For 74 years, WSB has been able to provide life-changing services to empower those who are visually impaired and blind to achieve sustainable independence. With YOUR support, WSB is able to continue those services to thousands of blind and visually impaired individuals. You can donate directly here.

HOPE Series: Interview with Shane Lowe from SuperSense

HOPE Series: Interview with Shane Lowe from SuperSense!

Welcome to our third installment of the WSB blog HOPE (Hanging Onto Positive Expectation) series! There are so many individuals doing great things for the Blind and Visually Impaired Community that we wanted to highlight and share their stories. We hope these stories can also serve as inspiration for those with vision loss and to remind us that there are so many people working towards a common goal of helping those who are blind and visually impaired. 

This month we are featuring Shane from SuperSense! If you haven’t heard of SuperSense, you will certainly want to check it out after reading this post (we even have a special discount for you at the end!).  

Shane’s Story  

Shane is the Community Outreach Manager at Mediate, the company that created SuperSense. He is also a college student studying Business and runs a Consulting company with some of his peers! For someone so young, he has done a lot to help the blind and visually impaired community. For his tech experience, he credits a lot to his time at the Kentucky School for the Blind, especially his AT Instructor who got him passionate about IT and working with tech.

Shane had some great tips on finding a job, especially as someone who is blind or visually impaired and still in college. Shane stated the importance of finding a job you like and finding something you are passionate about. Shane noted when finding a job as someone who is blind or visually impaired “It’s all about your network”, which is how he found his job at Mediate.

What is SuperSense?  

Supersense is a simple to use and intuitive scanner application for the blind and the visually impaired. You can scan bar codes, signs, menus, and so much more! While there are other AI apps on the market, what sets SuperSense apart is the speed and accuracy SuperSense is able to perform. With SuperSense, it can automatically detect what kind of item you need to scan, for example, a barcode or a sign. You let the camera and the AI figure out what you’re trying to scan. There is even a feature where you take a picture and SuperSense will describe what is in the image.

At WSB, we are thorough in testing an app before we recommend it and we love SuperSense! It’s fast, easy to use, and very accurate. Several staff members from our CEO to the Development and Communications Manager at WSB have used it and love it.

Another thing that makes SuperSense stand out is the company behind it – Mediate. Shane noted “I 100% believe, not as a member of the team, but as a blind individual and consumer that SuperSense and the company behind SuperSense are the most dedicated to answering people's requests and, specifically, working with people who have problems and ideas”. SuperSense is there to help if a consumer is having a problem with the app or needs help on how to use it.

“We're a part of this community, we want to be a lasting part of this community and work with blind people for the betterment of blind people.” – Shane, Community Outreach Manager at SuperSense/Mediate

SuperSense also wants to make their product accessible to the community. When you download SuperSense, you get a seven-day free trial (but at the end of this article we have a longer free trial!). A monthly subscription is $5 per month, a year is $50, and a lifetime is $99.99. As Shane mentioned, you could get an OR camera for hundreds of dollars whereas this app is affordable and fast!  

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If you want to learn more about SuperSense and how to use it be sure to tune in to our free webinar on November 11th at 11am Central time! You can sign up here.

For more information on SuperSense, be sure to sign up for their newsletter here.

And now for the special discount we promised our readers! If you want to try SuperSense for free for a month, you can email Shane at shane@mediate.tech and receive a free month of SuperSense!

Have you tried SuperSense? Let us know what you think in the comments.

 

Tips for Finding a job as someone who is blind or visually impaired

close up shot on someone writing on a notepad with a blurry person across a table. white writing that reads: tips on finding a jobas someone who is blind or visually impaired” with the WSB logo

Tips for finding a job as someone who is blind or visually impaired

WSB is no stranger to the employment barriers that exist for those who are blind and visually impaired. And with October being National Disability Employment Awareness Month #NDEAM, we wanted to share some tips and tricks that might help in finding a job as someone who is blind or visually impaired. The unemployment rate for the blind and visually impaired is over 70%, and WSB is here to help combat that!

Work with a Vocational Counselor

Our first tip is to work with a vocational counselor through your state agency. They are a great resource whether it is finding accommodations for a current job or helping you throughout the job search process.

Discuss with VR counselor about disclosing your disability

We suggest working with a VR counselor to decide if disclosing your disability is something you want and feel comfortable doing. This can be a highly personal choice, and it varies on how one might want to handle disclosure or not. You don’t have to, but some people prefer to disclose.

Start with an internship or volunteering

If you can, start with an internship or even just volunteering. This is a great way to get your foot in the door and show the employer what you are capable of (and can oftentimes lead to employment after!). Volunteering is a great option if you aren’t sure what you want to do because it can give you a wide range of experiences. Internships and volunteering also look great on a resume!

Practice

Practicing before an interview is so important. It not only helps you practice what you’re going to say but it can also help get some of the nerves out.

Confidence is key!

Make sure you go to an interview with confidence. As those who are blind and visually impaired, we know we have to work that much harder but by being confident from the start, it not only helps your self-esteem but also the interviewers possible bias. This leads onto our next tip…

Be Upfront about your skills

As people with disabilities, it is especially important to be upfront about your employable skills so your employer knows what you can do! We don’t just mean your personable skills but employable skills you’d use on the job every day. For example, if you’re applying for a job that requires Microsoft Office experience, be sure to bring up your experience using that software.

Train at WSB

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention all of the amazing career training programs we offer at WSB! We have an 85% employment rate for those who graduate from our career training programs. We also offer extensive employment preparation giving you an edge up on practice interviews, job preparation, and employment searches.