I am 29 years old I was born with Optic Atrophy. If you research this eye disease it says it is from your mother smoking, drinking, etc during pregnancy. That is not my case my mom never did any of these, it is a rare birth defect. As of today I have never met someone with Optic Atrophy well just with Optice Atrophy. Atrophy means Deteriorating. It is not my eyes that is the problem it is the optic nerve. no they are not dwindling away My vision has stayed the same since birth.
What do you remember about your elementary school years?
Well this is a hard questions since it was about twenty years ago. I had to sit in front of the class room so that I can see the board I had a lot of kids make fun of me because I had to look at my papers so close unlike everyone else. This is truly all I remember regarding my vision.
My Junior High years I remember I would argue with the teachers to tell me what they wrote on the chalk board. They wouldn't understand or believe that I had a vision problem. My first half on Junior high I attended the public junior high school, the second half of my 7th grade I decided I would like to attend the Arizona State Deaf & Blind School (ASDB) in Tucson My parents would drive me to Mesa Community College on Sunday Afternoons and pick me up on Friday evenings. I would ride a transport bus like a greyhound down to Tucson. The bus was just for ASDB students. I lived in a dorm during the week and was able to come home on the weekends. In school they had the Blind & deaf kids separated but I became friends with both and even learned sign language. The school was catered to kids with all different types of Vision impairments. they had books with large print, regular print and Braille. They used dry erase boards in dark markers instead of chalk boards the lights were dimmed so that their would not be glare. It truly was a great school. They did a lot with us to prove to the kids that we are not different we went on a 100 mike trip, symphonies, hockey games and much more.
What do you remember about your high school and college years?
High School years was OK I feel that the school had no clue how to handle someone with a vision problem. Their were two kids with a vision problem. I myself had a gentlemen from the District office kinda over watching me but they stuck me in Special Ed and I refused to take special ed classes I was normal I just had a vision problem. I did attend all regular classes all of my teachers were understanding except for my Spanish teacher. She would not help me in any Spanish that she would write on the board. I got a waiver and did not have to finish my Spanish classes instead they had me sit in the office or the library for 1 hour class. I think the hardest part of High School was that when I turned 16 everyone was getting their drivers license and I was not. I had to always rely on my friends & family to go to work or places.
Did you receive any special vocational training?
I never did receive any special voc training in school. They offered to get me Large print books but the books were so big at that time they were larger than a road atlas I did not want to use them in school because they would not fit in my back pack or anything. The only thing that I could have used was a CC TV which is a TV that has a magnifier on it to make the print larger. today they make these the size of a laptop. After high school when I turned 18 the state had me go to the voc rehab center and they fitted me with some magnifiers.
What is the best way that educators could help students with special needs?
I feel that they should always ask a lot of questions to the child always ask them if they need something. Explain to the other children what the problem is or even let the child explain their own problem. Always have the instructor see if the child needs the font to be enlarged. with the technology today the teacher should realized the summer prior to the school year who is in their class they should do research on the internet to get a better understanding of the child's impairment.
What kind of support have you had from family and friends?
My family & friends have all been understanding. When we go to a restaurant if the lighting is dim and the font on the menu is small I won't even bother trying to read it because it is harder so I always just ask for help. Some friends it has taken them a bit to understand it but they learn if I can't see something I will just ask. Example It is very hard for me to see the menus at lets say McDonalds.
Does your visual impairment cause stress in your life?
No I would say that it hasn't caused me stress. I am a very laid back person always have been I just don't let things bother me. There are things that I wish I could have done, like my dad was in Vietnam and wished that I could have joined the military I tried but because of my eyes I was unable too.
Have you encountered any stereotypes or discrimination because of your disability?
I remember growing up the word I was called a lot was Blind Bat. my adult years no not at all that I know of. I deal with the public and when I can't see something I look closer half the time I don't even think about it I just do it. Some people ask some don't when they ask me I just explain to them what is wrong.
What accommodation do you need on the job and in your everyday life?
I actually don't use really anything. At my office I have enlarged the font on my computers and on my Blackberry.
Side note. A lot of products out their do not accommodate people with vision problems such as cooking instructions to cell phones. I have had a black berry for years now not only because of me being in Real Estate that I need it. I truly have it because out of all the major cell phone companies Smart-phones are the only phone that you can enlarge the font on. Mine I have it the largest that it will go. I personally have the Blackberry storm and it is a touch screen so if I get a fax that comes through I can enlarge the document on my cell phone so that I can read it easily.
In 1994 roughly My eye Doctor Dr Lynn noon introduced a pair of glasses (Bi-optic Telescopic lenses) to me that would assist me in being able to get my drivers license. But it was not legal in the state of Arizona. I asked her what we needed to do in order to get the changes made. She stated that the law would have to be changed so I said lets do it. So then it began working to change the law. in 1996 roughly we had a bill in the senate Rebecca and Pete Rioz sponsored it but it was shot down by on department of the state. The media came out to the high school. Every news station was their and we held a press conference. We started all over rewrote the bill and nothing changed, it was shot down. So in 1999 I wanted to have the same rights as everyone else in this country so I moved to Colorado. I found a college that I wanted to attend but we had to see It first but I wanted to get my drivers license while I was visiting it. So my parents took me shopping for a truck I found a truck. When we went to go get it my sister had to drive it because I couldn't. right after that my dad and I packed up my new truck and headed to Colorado. Once we got to Colorado we stayed at my uncles house and the next day my dad took me to the DMV. I passed my written test then went and took my road test using the special glasses and passed. when my dad seen me get out of my truck with a big smile he started crying because he was so happy. We went back to my uncles and the next day I drove 90 miles one way to look at the college I was going to attend. I register for the fall of 99 and was moving to Colorado. I drove most of the way back to Arizona it was 600+ miles Once I was back I couldn't wait to go see my friends and show them my new surprise. I pretty much wore out the drivers license by showing it to everyone.
July of 99 I moved to Colorado. this was a experience white stuff came out of the sky and I never experienced it or driving in it before. I learned though. knock on wood as of today I have never had a car accident that I was at fault. while living in Colorado was great and I like it a lot my home was still in Arizona. But I would not move back unless I could get my license. We continued to fight the state with me living in another state. I would fly home attend meetings then fly back. At one particular meeting the gentlemen that would always throw our case out was not their. So their was a panel of members for Motor Vehicle and they wanted to hear my story. I explained to them that I grew up here and had to move had to learn how to drive in winter conditions and we don't even have that severe of weather. I explained how long we had been working on this over ten years. we explained to them that over half of the states in this country have a law passed so I could drive if Arizona would not consider it we are taking the next step and will sew the state of Arizona for discrimination of the American with disabilities act. They gave me the go ahead to move back to AZ with my CO license. When the law was change the Media got wind of it and we had a press conference in Sun City. I drove around Sun City with video cameras all over my truck. sat down and spoke with every news station and newspaper. In March of 2005 I was the first in Arizona to get my drivers license. I decided I wanted to get my license in Apache Junction so we set a date and time all the directors from MVD, the New Media, My family and myself walk into MVD it was unannounced and through everyone off guard. since I already had a drivers license they just transferred my license and plates to Arizona. We held another press conference there.
To date I have been a REALTOR now for 4 years. I love it.
Charlie Wise-REALTORI hope this provides some insight to teaching or simply helping a student with a visual impairment. Thanks to Charlie for allowing me to share his wonderful story. :-)
