Training & Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation
The following are the areas that RBI focus in rehabilitation training the visually impaired:
Orientation and Mobility Skills:
This training enables someone who is blind to orient themselves in their environment and to travel safely from point to point without assistance. The primary tool is the white mobility cane.
Braille Literacy
The inability to read or write is one of the greatest disappointments for those who become blind. To make reading possible once again, we begin teaching the braille system. Created by Louis Braille in 1824, this system makes use of raised dots which are recognizable by touch. The tips of the fingers are moved across the raised dots from left to right in the same manner that an eye would scan a printed page.
With this system, the blind person can once again read and write, in either English, Filipino, or any other dialect of the Philippines. Any literature, math, music scores, or even scientific notation can be made readable in braille.
Counselling and Training for Parents
Being visually impaired is difficult, but living a normal life is not impossible. With the help of family members, our visually impaired brothers and sisters can live a normal life every single day. Resources for the Blind, Inc. offers counseling services and training for the family members for them to fully understand and learn the best way for in assisting and helping their visually impaired loved one in living a normal life.
Specialized Equipment:
Many of the tasks that a blind person might need to do are made possible by the use of adapted equipment. For instance, talking calculators take the place of normal calculators. Talking watches take the place of regular watches. Braille typewriters substitute for regular typewriters. Much of the specialized equipment and materials needed by blind people is not available in the Philippines. To help meet this need, we import and stock many of the items needed by blind. If necessary, we subsidize the cost of the equipment so that those who need it can afford it. The items most requested are braille writing slates, white mobility canes, talking watches, talking calculators, talking blood pressure kits, talking thermometers, braille typewriters, and special software and hardware to allow a blind person to use a computer.
Daily living skills:
By making use of other senses, and by special techniques, the one who is blind will learn to do almost all of the normal activities of life without assistance. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, shopping, caring for children, etc., can all be easily mastered with training from our rehabilitation specialists.
Livelihood projects
Resources for the Blind, Inc. offers assistance for the visually impaired on suitable employment and livelihood. Small capital loans and other support are given especially for those in the rural areas. Successful projects include sari-sari stores, hog raising, smoke fish selling, and rice buying