My Vision

We just had an Earthquake here in Ottawa – somewhere between 5.5 and 5.7 on the Richter scale. From what we can tell, the earthquake was felt across most of Ontario and the northern United States.

After recently returning home from a simply unforgettable, one month trip to Tanzania, I am reminded, once again, that in no way do challenges have to limit our opportunities in life.

Despite the unfamiliar surroundings, unsettled terrain and unconventional transportation that I knew I was to encounter on this rare excursion, I did not let it stop me from participating, alongside my sighted travel partners, in all activities.

With the school year now set to start in less than a month’s time, educators are already considering unique opportunities for students, geared to enhancing learning and inspiring motivation.

As a blind entrepreneur who has faced a number of challenges (including unexpectedly having to refocus education and career goals), and has created opportunities as a result (namely launching a company to fulfill consumer needs), I welcome the opportunity to visit North American institutions to share my story with students.

Organizations involved in the delivery of essential services are providing important information in audio, braille, large print and e-Text formats to meet the diverse information needs of customers while simultaneously meeting legislative requirements.  It is important for these organizations to remember that the processing and production of alternative formats is much more than receiving a print stream from their service provider.

Today, January 10th, marks the one year anniversary of my first post to this blog, and to the welcomed journey that I have experienced as a result. 
 

With December 25th just over a month away, the North Pole is anxiously awaiting an expected onslaught of deliveries, as children from all over the world begin to send Santa their Christmas wish lists.  Since 2002, T-Base has partnered with Canada Post to make it possible for blind and partially sighted children to send their letters to Santa, and alternatively have them responded to, in braille.      
 

Since launching this blog in early January, I have really enjoyed commenting on a variety of topics that both interest and affect me, and am most excited by the conversations it has sparked among individuals as a result.
 
To help facilitate further discussions, I am inviting readers to enter into our “Spring into Accessibility” blog contest where one lucky blogger will win an iPod Nano!  To enter, you must first register for the contest.
 

There has been a flurry of widespread discussions since blind New York Governor David Paterson assumed his newfound position just one month ago. While the primary focus has centered around the governor’s inspirational story of success in the face of adversity, reports have also spotlighted Paterson’s attained success despite his personal choice not to learn braille, use a cane or guide dog, etc. To some observers, this active decision may demonstrate great independence, while to some members within the blind community, it represents the opposite.