| National Federation of the Blind of Idaho 1301 S. Capitol Boulevard, Suite C Boise, ID 83706-2926 phone: 208-343-1377 e-mail: qinfbi@micron.net |
An affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind 1800 Johnson St. Baltimore, MD 21230 phone: 410-659-9314 e-mail: nfb@iamdigex.net |
Gem State Milestones Available free to members in Braille, on cassette, in large or small print;
Julie and Brandon Our Blind Friends; activity book for children
The Materials Center offers a wide variety of special devices. A descriptive list of these may be ordered in print or Braille by writing:
Materials Center
National Federation of the Blind
1800 Johnson
Baltimore, MD 21230.
Presented at annual convention in spring; two in state; this year 30 national from $3,000 to $21,000. See letter from Chairperson.
If a blind individual encounters unfair treatment because of poor vision, the National Federation of the Blind may be able to help.
Here are some examples:
A blind woman was denied the right to serve on a jury not because she was too busy; not because she was uneducated; not because she had prejudicial information about someone in the case; but simply because she was blind. A representative of the NFBI worked with the court. It was determined that blindness was not a proper reason for dismissal, and she was later permitted to serve.
A man who had been employed in a responsible position for 15 years became blind. His company asked him to take early retirement because (they said) he would not be able to do the paperwork well enough. He had to decide whether to challenge this unfair request. Could he find a different job comparable to the one he had? If he went to court, would the case take so long that he truly would be ready to retire? Members of the NFB could share with him experiences of other companies and other blind individuals who had dealt with similar problems.
A blind child was falling behind in school because large print was so slow for him to read. Members of the NFB worked with parents and teachers to decide whether Braille or tapes or better instruction would be the best solution to the problem..
A blind senior wished to be certified to use a special public transportation system. She was turned down. A member of the NFB showed her how to change some information on the application form to meet the qualifications necessary.
A blind diabetic was lonely and depressed because of the loss of vision. Blind diabetics who are members of the NFB contacted this individual and shared their experiences with her. She also began to read the quarterly NFB publication THE VOICE OF THE DIABETIC on cassette tape.
A blind social worker took the licencing exam required but was not permitted to use a sighted person who could read the questions correctly. He failed the test. The NFB requested that the testing authority permit blind test takers to get another reader if the one they first offered was not satisfactory. The man later took the test and passed. The testing authority has also changed its policy.
Many other examples of special help needed by blind persons and offered by the NFB of Idaho and the NFB could be listed. If you or a blind person you know are aware of discrimination or unfair treatment, please do not hesitate to write, call, fax, or e-mail us.