Communicating with Someone who is Blind or Vision-Impaired
A) Working in a group of four, choose a person to pretend to be "blind". Give the person a blindfold and guide them outside or to a different part of the room. In your group decide on a topic you will talk about when the "blind" person joins you. It could be -
- your favourite band or singer
- a movie you have seen
- a project you are doing in your class
- something happening at your school.
Guide the person you have chosen to be blind to come back to the group wearing their blindfold and spend five minutes discussing your subject.
After your discussion, ask the person who was blindfolded about their experience and how they felt.
Did you remember to -
- guide them to a chair?
- assist them to sit facing the group?
- talk normally with them, or did you talk louder?
- use their name when asking a question?
- introduce all the members of the group?
- explain when the discussion had finished?
B) Still working in your group make a list of the ways you could help someone who is vision-impaired;
- when you walk with them
- if you live or go to school with them
- if you are talking with them
What communication difficulties faced by people who are blind are you now aware of?
Do you have a better understanding of these problems and how you could help solve them?