An International Student Experience When Blind

Coming to the States for my higher education had been a possibility I began toying with in ninth grade. It was a nebulous thought, one which did not particularly mature for several years. I was quite busy negotiating the Indian education system: typing up my textbooks when accessible electronic material was unavailable, participating in every … Continued

Thriving With Changing Vision by Adapting Year After Year

Zelda Gebhard doesn’t identify as a person with low vision, because she’s so much more than that. “I’m a whole person,” she says. “Along with my career, I’m a wife, I’m a mother and a grandmother. I have a full life with interests and hobbies. I’m not that much different than a person who doesn’t … Continued

Fair Play: Horse Back Riding/ Dressage when Blind or Low Vision

Editor’s note: Originally published in APH InTouch’s Nov-Dec, 2022 Issue, Leslie Weilbacher shares about competing in horse back riding/ dressage when blind or low vision. Fair Play: Horse Back Riding/ Dressage when Blind or Low Vision Right before everything shut down in March 2020, I bought a horse. Winston is a lovely old quarter horse … Continued

Dog Guide Peer Pressure: When Other Voices are Calling the Shots

Editor’s note: After obtaining her first dog guide, Alexis realized she did so because her peers had dog guides. Alexis reminds others who are blind or low vision who are considering dog guides to think through whether a dog guide is a good fit for their current season of life. Dog Guide Peer Pressure: When … Continued

Orientation and Mobility Outcomes After a Hurricane

Living on an island in the Caribbean surrounded by beaches may sound like living an eternal vacation. And indeed, most of the time it is. But there are also some exceptions, such as being in the path of hurricanes. In 2017, Puerto Rico experienced the direct impact of Hurricane Maria, a category 5 hurricane that … Continued

The Gift of Low Vision and Higher Education

Yokasta Urena, MS.Ed., Sp.Ed., TVI Doctoral Candidate at New England College Email:  Yokasta.urena1@gmail.com Instagram: beyond20201 The educational journey for people with low vision and blindness can be challenging. It is precisely those challenges that empower us. They build our character and can empower us to create lasting change in the lives of others. “If we … Continued

Joe Strechay Helps Actors and Production Teams Accurately Portray Blindness

Joe Strechay has the kind of career many people dream about: working in the entertainment business. His job? Making sure that blindness is represented accurately, especially by actors who are sighted. Born with retinitis pigmentosa, Joe later developed cataracts and has been legally blind since he was 19. He’s always been interested in media and … Continued

DeafBlind: Behind Screens

Editor’s note: As the holidays approach and gatherings ensue, remember that the goal is not to prove yourself, a person who is blind or low vision, as worthy because you’re capable, independent, and mannerly. Enjoy your family and friends. George Stern, who is DeafBlind, shares a personal story about holding himself to an unnecessarily high … Continued