Interviews to Empower Presents: S. J. Wells

Hello, and welcome to the last edition of Interviews to Empower. Anita here with you, and I am so glad you are with us today. These interviews have inspired me and my colleague, S. J. Wells, and we pray that they have been an encouragement to you. As it is our last post, I thought I would interview S. J. So, without further adue, here is author of Christian fiction and my friend, S. J. Wells.

Q: What is your eye condition, and how long have you been blind?

A: I was born with congenital glaucoma, catteracts and scar tissue. I had some vision in my left eye for 21 years, but the summer of 2000 my pressure went down to 4, and I lost my remaining vision.

Q: I remember now; you had to have an eye removed. How did that affect you and your family? Was it a hard decision, or was it just a necessity?

A: Losing my vision was the hard part; losing the eye was easy. I was in pain, and the eye did not look normal. I think it was harder on my family, though, than it was for me. And, I had only been married for a few months, so my husband got to hear me complain more than the rest of them. The person who hurt the most over it, I think was my mom.

Q: Are you the only one in your family who is blind?

A: Yes. I am the oldest of 4 girls, and except for needing glasses or contacts, I am the only one considered blind. My parents didn’t treat me any different, though. Mom taught me to wash dishes and clean house alongside my sisters, Dad taught me to ride a tricycle, and blindness was never an excuse for bad grades. :)

Q: How old were you when you started to receive orientation and mobility?

A: I was introduced to the cane when I was 10. It made me feel different than my classmates, so I wouldn’t use it, though. Then, in 7th grade I was taught to use it properly. I used to rely on friends to be sighted guides, but when my dependence on them kept them from wanting to be my friend, I gladly took up the cane and became more independent.

Q: Did you go to public school, then?

A: Mostly. I attended public school until my junior year of high school. Then, I went to the West Virginia School for the Blind. I graduated from there in 1997 as Salutatorian of my class.

Q: Did you attend college?

A: For a semester I went to Kutztown University in Kutztown, PA, but I got home sick and begged my parents to bring me home. I took some independent living classes from the West Virginia Rehabilitation Center, such as cooking, O&M, and computers. Those 3 months of intense O&M were important and would become the single most useful blindness skill in my life.

Q: You use a cane, then?

A: Yes, but I did have a guide dog from 1998 to 2006.

Q: Let’s talk about now. What do you do for a living?

A: Well, I got married in 2000, so I am a wife. My first daughter was born in 2005. My youngest was born in 2007, so I am a mom. I homeschool my girls, I attend church with my minister husband, and I write books.

Q: Tell us about your writing. What made you want to be an author?

A: I used to get books on records or tapes from my local Library Commission, and for years those books were my best friends. Then, when I was 15, I thought, why not write a Christian story like these Westerns I’ve been reading. That idea over the next 15 years became my first novel, “Wild Heart”

Q: A reader driven author. But, you didn’t stop with “Wild Heart”, which, BTW, I remember helping you with in high school.

A: No, I didn’t stop there. :) “Wild Heart” needed a sequel, so I wrote one. It’s called, “To Tame A Heart”. Then, I wrote a Scottish, time travel romance called, “A Moment in Time”. My 4th book is “His Yankee Wife”. Last May I published a book based on a true story about a man who became paralyzed when he dove into a 4 foot pool called, “Caleb’s Story”.

Q: Wow! And, folks can read more about you and your books on your website?

A: Yes, it’s www.sjwellsauthor.com.

Q: What made you decide to come on board with our book, “Ducking into UEB”?

A: First, I knew the book would be good and helpful for students and teachers, alike. Your love for your students comes out in everything you do. Also, I love writing kids’ fiction, even though I don’t feel it is my strong point. I wanted your book to succeed, and I wanted to be a part of it. I wrote “A Quackin’ Adventure” one night after telling the story to my girls before bed. But, I had no plans for it, and I was having difficulty finding an illustrator. So, when you asked if I had any fictional material lying around, I gave it to you, willingly. I am thrilled to see it doing so well.

Q: So, what is next?

A: I’m currently working on my 6th book called, “You Belong to Me”. It’s about a man who is called by God to go preach in the colonies who is captured by pirates and sold to a sharp-tongued woman desperate to save her farm.

Q” Sounds interesting. Can folks follow you on Facebook, too?

A: Yes. facebook.com/sjwellsuathor/

Q: If you were to give any advice to someone facing sight loss, what would it be?

A: Don’t give up. There is always a way. Trust in God; He will not fail you. Get in touch with those in the blindness community, and learn all you can. Don’t be afraid of your cane or of your blindness, but embrace your differences and learn to laugh.

Q: Anything else you would like to add?

A: Yes, there is. I have thoroughly enjoyed writing on this blog with you. I have been challenged and encouraged by those whom we have interviewed and by you pushing me out of my comfort zone. I may not have ever tried to get a book published, if you had not believed in me all those years ago. Thank you for being my friend and for being tough on me.

Well, I have learned a lot from this writing project with you. And, faithful readers, keep in mind that while we will not be posting any new material to this blog, it will remain up for you to come back to as often as you want.

Thank you, S. J. Wells for being the interviewee this time.

Thank you, Anita for allowing me to be a part of your project.

Together we make a good team. :) Y’all come over and be with us on Facebook, okay? facebook/com/adkinsandwells/ and you can always email us at adkinsandwells@gmail.com

Blessings to you all

Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells

Authors of “Ducking into UEB”

An Update and Some Thoughts on Preparing for a Job

Hello, everyone. I hope this first, full month of  spring finds you well. Anita here with you today, and Spring has been a rather snowy and busy one here in WV. Goalball season has recently ended, and gives me a small break. Spring break has also allowed me a chance to rejuvenate for school, but I have been very busy at home.

My Mom, who lives in a nearby nursing home, came to spend the weekend with me. We played cards and fried potatoes. Ruth Ann, my cousin, stopped in to visit us as well. Then, Joy, my cousin came over to spend the night. Then, I went to her house to spend the night. While there I Took advantage of her WiFi and updated my iPhone. I  put Word Pro on my new MacBook, but at the moment, it is about to be thrown out the window. I couldn’t figure out how to save an article I wrote, though I did eventually succeed. So my brain is foggy just now.

During my break, my friend, Nancy, and I spent a day shopping at the mall. My bank account is way lower, but I have a couple of new bowls and a new kitchen gadget to play with. It is a rice cooker. I found a pasta rice cooker that is useful for all kinds of things a few months back, and I wanted another one. It is so frustrating when something I like disappears from the shelves at Walmart.

Anyhow, the point here is that I’ve been busy. Generally, I like to cook on vacation, but I haven’t had a lot of time for that. Currently, I have a hash brown casserole in the crockpot. When I was preparing it, I decided to add in bacon bits. I found a little bag that felt like the bacon bits. After opening it, I realized it was nuts. I had used Seeing AI, an app on my iPhone designed to tell me barcodes and read text, and while it couldn’t find the barcode, it did read something about almonds. I didn’t believe it because I don’t remember buying any almonds. I should have listened to it though because almonds they were. LOL

This blog post is really me ranting to you. I just wrote an article about "DUCKING INTO UEB", the book S. J. Wells and I wrote. In the article, I mentioned how I wanted to get a job like my sighted family members way back in the ’90’s. As blind people, obtaining a job is more difficult. It is important that we have the skills, training, and opportunity to do the job. Also, accessibility needs are important. Yes, the law requires that reasonable accommodations be made for us. But what does reasonable mean? And, it is a sighted world. A sighted person could apply for and potentially acquire a job in the local area easily enough, though it may be a minimum wage position. But a person who is blind requires accessibility to be included with the package.

I remember years ago in Parkersburg when I wanted to work at a call center. The software at the time was not accessible for screenreaders. Maybe nowadays, I could tackle the challenge of insuring such accommodations were met, but back then, I did not possess the knowledge or bravery. And, I’m glad I didn’t because working at a call center is not where I feel the Lord wants me to be. Still, I sometimes feel that a realistic job option be a consideration. What would I do if I was suddenly rifted from my current position as others have been? What skills and training would I need to acquire employment? Could I still live here in the town I consider as my home? Truth is that most people must relocate in order to be employed. But could their possibly be virtual jobs in the education field for me? Or, are there other career options I haven’t explored? I do not plan to leave my current position in the near future. But where will I be in ten years or so? If I want to make a career move, I need to plan now so I can be properly trained for the transition. And, if I decide to stay in this position forever, educating myself about other careers and even completing some of the training will not be a waste of my time. 

Part of my reason for bringing up this topic on this blog is because on one of my facebook lists, someone wanted to know what jobs are out there for blind people. There are not specific jobs for blind people. There are jobs in the field of blindness. There are companies that focus on hiring blind people, such as Industries for the Blind. But a person who is blind should really focus on their strengths and weakness and job interests. Filling out a job inventory is a great first step. Getting in touch with blind people in an interested field is also important, though not required. 

The ACB, www.acb.org and NFB, www.nfb.org both offer mentorship programs to people who are blind and visually impaired. AFB, www.afb.org also has Career Connect, a program that matches one with someone who has a job in the interested field. Finally, determining the accommodations is key. And, while the employer is required to make the reasonable accommodations, any accommodations we can make on our behalf will help to make us more successful candidates. Blindness skills training and training required for the specific career are also appropriate steps. Have fun searching! In the mean time, here is a link that will allow you to search virtual jobs. The site also allows you to search for jobs that require your physical presence. https://www.indeed.com/q-Virtual-jobs.html

That's it for today, but be sure and come back in 2 weeks for another edition of Interviews to Empower. Until then, be safe and remember to laugh often.

Interviews to Empower Presents: Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells

Welcome to this month’s edition of Interviews to Empower. Today, Adkins and Wells are interviewing the authors of “Ducking into UEB”, Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells. That’s right. We are interviewing ourselves. Grab a seat and your beverage of choice, and come chat with us. :)

Q: Anita, we’ll start with you. Tell us about yourself and why you became a teacher.

A: I was born in Charleston, WV. My family is from Lincoln and Boone counties in Southern, WV. When I was three, we moved to Romney so my brother and I could attend the school for the blind. I decided to teach when I was a youngster. I have always loved to learn, and I love to self-teach, as long as I am interested in what I am teaching myself. For example, I love to explore unfamiliar places, study how to program computers or use a new app. Unfortunately, after learning enough to satisfy my curiosity, I move on to something new, unless the skill is useful for me in my career or for fun. My reason for teaching as a youngster was because I loved to play school. When I grew up, I became interested in specifically teaching in the field of blindness in order to help others become independent, and thus, to live a quality, productive life.

Q: S. J., Did you also attend the school for the blind?

A: Yes and no. :) I went to public school until my junior year of high school. After that, I attended the school for the blind and graduated from there in 1997. My family lived about twenty minutes from Charleston, WV, and living in Kanawha County meant there were several teachers for the visually impaired available over the years. I left public school for WVSB, because I hoped I would have more interactions with my peers. As it turned out, it was the best decision for me. Although I have always loved to learn new things, I didn’t think I liked school when I was a kid. My first attempts at teaching were when I helped a fellow student learn to tell time in the second grade. At that tender age, I never dreamed I would be homeschooling my own children, but I now know I am where I am meant to be.

Q: Anita, we know you are a teacher at the same school where you graduated. How was it that you came full circle?

A: Well, I graduated from WVSB in 1996. A few years later, I went to work for a company called T-base Communications where I was a production assistant with the job of a braille proofreader. I also did some accessibility testing for usability and accessibility of websites while there. I have worked as a Rehabilitation teacher at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland, or BISM, where I taught braille, assistive technology, cane travel, independent living skills, and blindness philosophy. In 2009 I graduated from Allegany College of MD with an Associate’s degree in Elementary Education and in 2011 from Frostburg State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. After that, I moved to WVSB where I have taught braille since December, 2012.

Q: S. J., what did you do after high school, and what led you to choose homeschool for your children?

A: In the fall of 1997, I went to Kutztown, PA to go to college. But, homesick, I returned in December and took a few classes at the WV Rehabilitation Center to learn more blindness skills. I took advanced orientation and Mobility, cooking and computers. In 1998 I went to Morristown, NJ and trained with a Seeing Eye dog. My husband and I were married in March of 2000, and from July, 2002 to May, 2003 I went to a local vocational school for medical transcription. In October, 2003 I went to work for T-Base Communications as a braille proof reader. My next job was a sewing machine operator at Blind Industries and Services of MD. My oldest daughter was born in 2005, and my second in 2007. Remembering the days of long hours at public school before long hours of homework afterward, I decided to teach them at home during the day. It has been a challenge, but God has given me strength and wisdom beyond anything I could ever imagine.

Q: Anita, what gave you the idea to write your own braille curriculum??

A: A colleague came in to my room one day and told me I should write a braille book like Braille Too. Also, at the time I began writing DUCKING INTO UEB, there were no current programs to teach UEB to students in grades k-12. I was spending a lot of my time creating worksheets and missing having a curriculum. I needed a way to assess my students and also for them to have practice. Too, I wasn’t fond of how some of the EBAE programs were written because they seemed basal. My book is somewhat like that, but I tried to incorporate some fun components into the program as I addressed various learning styles for my students.

Q: S. J., how did you become an author?

A: I began writing when I was eight years old, but I have always loved to read. I started writing my first book, “Wild Heart” the summer I was fifteen. I published it in 2009. Since then, I have written three more works of fiction, “To Tame A Heart”, “A Moment in Time” and “His Yankee Wife”. In my junior year of high school, I wrote a children’s story called, “Gold! A Tall Tale”. After telling my children a bedtime story one night, I wrote another children’s story called, “A Quackin’ Adventure”.

Q: So, Anita, how long did it take you to write, edit and publish “Ducking into UEB”?

A: The answer for writing, editing, and publishing is approximately three years. I began in 2015 and published on January 4, 2018. Editing really was two stages. First, I edited along with other friends/colleagues. Then, I hired someone to go through the book, edit it, and also to make it look friendly for the sighted person. I chose to publish the book through Create Space. The reason I chose this is because I wanted the student copy to be able to be brailled for a student without the teacher needing to buy it every time a book became too rubbed down for the braille to be felt. If I had submitted it to APH, teachers would be required to purchase the student edition. Also, I wouldn’t get any royalties from them. I considered AFB, but they would only be able to produce print versions. Another reason is I wanted to include other free materials in the program, including braille songs. The book is also available on Kindle and is sold through Amazon.

Q: So, where did the title come from, Anita?

A: When I first heard a new braille code was going to be accepted, I was not happy. I didn’t want a new braille code; the old one worked, and so why fix it. I want to duck this new code. Then, as a teacher knowing my students needed to learn this new code and that I needed to role model for them, I thought “Well, I’ll just take a quick look at this code.” Thus, I ducked into the code just a little. When S. J. Mentioned she had a children’s book called, “A Quackin’ Adventure”, I asked her if I could use it. The story had not been published, and she said yes. It gave me a theme for the book. She also agreed to be another author, adding more works of fiction as stories and songs. She spent time writing some of the suggestions and reading through the entire manuscript and telling me things that needed to be edited. Her story, “A Quackin’ Adventure” can be found at the end of the book.

Q: Anita, do you plan on writing anything in the future?

A: I always plan to write. I have a fiction story published called A Brother’s Love that is available from Amazon, also published through Create Space. I am working on a novel about a blind man who must step out of his comfort zone to save his overproductive family from being murdered. His prosthetic eye has a secret chip planted in it by someone in his doctor’s office, and some bad criminals are hunting for him in order to receive that chip before the blind man uncovers their treasure. I love reading more than writing probably.

Q: And, you, S. J., what are you currently working on?

A: I am writing a story about a local man who became a quadriplegic in a diving accident when he was a teenager. I am also working on my fifth fiction novel, about a minister who travels to the American colonies in 1748 to evangelize among the settlers and Indians when he is kidnapped and sold as an indentured servant to a woman desperate to save her farm from a jealous neighbor.

Q: This question is for both of you. Do you two ladies have any advice for aspiring writers?

A: Write, write, write; read, read, read! And, never, never, never give up!

“Ducking into UEB” by Anita Adkins and S. J. Wells

https://www.amazon.com/Ducking-Into-UEB-Anita-Adkins-ebook/dp/B078T4V2D2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1519227486&sr=1-1

“A Brother’s Love” by Anita Adkins

https://www.amazon.com/Brothers-Love-Anita-Adkins-ebook/dp/B06X9CNPLF/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519227378&sr=1-1&keywords=a+brother%27s+love%2C+Anita+adkins

S. J. Wells’s books can be found on her website at

www.sjwellsauthor.com

We have had so much fun today, and we hope you, our faithful readers have had fun, too. Adkins and Wells has been a writing team ever since we were in high school together, providing ideas and more than a million laughs as our friendship grew. Alike in many ways, we are most definitely different with separate experiences, thoughts and ways of doing things that only strengthens who we are. We enjoy working together, and we believe this blog proves that. If you have a question or comment, please feel free to get in touch, either by commenting below or sending an email to

adkinsandwells@gmail.com

Blessings.

New Beginnings

Hello and welcome. S.J. Wells here with you today, and I’m realizing that we’re already in a new year. Wow. :)

January. It’s the month of setting new goals, trying to do better than the last year, a month of new beginnings and cold weather for those of us living in the northern hemisphere. It’s also the month of Louis Braille’s birthday, the man credited with inventing the braille code that people who are blind use all over the world. And, it is also the month when our book, “Ducking into UEB” is finally published and on Amazon.

Born out of a desire for an engaging curriculum to teach unified English braille, “Ducking into UEB” was first Anita’s idea. When she asked me for fictional materials to add to the book, I gave them willingly and came on board with the project. Soon, as we edited together and discussed the lessons, I found myself growing excited about braille all over again. Then, one day she asked for help creating songs that would help the students with memorizing the different signs and short form words. As Christmas had just come and gone, I naturally had holiday songs on my mind. Thus, if you hear our braille songs today, you will no doubt recognize one of the tunes as “Winter Wonderland”.

We’ll be talking more about our book in upcoming posts, but here is the link to purchase it on Amazon, and remember, you get lots of free stuff, if you buy the book and email us the code in the back.

https://www.amazon.com/Ducking-Into-UEB-Anita-Adkins/dp/1983579203/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1515684665&sr=1-1&keywords=ducking+into+UEB

In one week, this blog will be one year old. I’m not certain what our thoughts were this time last year, but I don’t think we realized how much keeping this blog would help us to grow as riders, educators and friends. Hearing from those of you who have commented or got in touch has been a help. Interviewing inspiring individuals has encouraged us, as well. We hope we have been an encouragement to you, faithful readers. If you or someone you know has an encouraging story and would like to be interviewed or to just get in touch, send us an email at

adkinsandwells@gmail.com

Over the months, I’ve come across some quotes that inspire me to think. I wanted to share my favorite with you, but I don’t have just one favorite. So,, I’ll share a few of them and hope you are encouraged.

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” Mark Twain

“You must do the things you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” Theodore Roosevelt

“The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” Arthur C. Clarke

And, finally,

“To thrive in life you need three bones. A wishbone. A backbone. And a funny bone.” Reba McEntire

Thank you for being with me today. We try to post on the second and fourth Thursdays of every month, so we hope you’ll come back, soon. Until then, keep on keeping on. :)

On Trying New Things and an Upcoming Event

Hello and welcome. S.J. Wells here with you today. Last week I decided to try another platform for my author blog. Blogger is great, but there are a few things about it that don’t fit my needs. What I want is an actual website that I can update as I am able. So, what I have learned from the experience is what I’m going to share with you today.

Note: For those who use screen readers, I am using Voice Over on a MacBook. My internet program is Safari.

Remember KWL charts from school? Yeah, well, I didn’t either, but that’s probably because charts don’t help a person who is blind as much as they might help a sighted person. But, as a homeschool mama of 2 sighted children, I’ve learned about them. In the spirit of a KWL chart, here we go.

K (What I already know)

1. How to use Voice Over and Safari
2. How to create a blog
3. What I want out of a website

W (What I want to learn)

1. Is this new platform friendly for screen readers?
2. Will I be able to enter the information by myself?
3. How much does it cost?
4. Will it be pleasing to sighted people’s eyes?

L (What I learned)

1. Wordpress is speech friendly, mostly.
2. Yes, I could enter the information by myself. However, I did need sighted assistance choosing a theme and color for the font.
3. When at first you don’t succeed, wait a while and try again with less frustration.

As you can probably tell, it wasn’t a quick process. I had to practice and keep trying until I got the results I wanted. What I needed in big supply was patience and time. I had to learn how my speech program worked with the software. Sometimes, this meant losing the content of a page and having to create it all over again. Sometimes, this meant fixing a page more than once to get the desired result. Sure, I got frustrated. No, it didn’t work out great every time. Yes, I needed help from someone who can see. But, I kept trying, and now I have a new website, and I think it looks pretty good. Go check it out for me, and tell me what you think. The address is

sjwellsauthor.com

This passed week seems to be a time for new things. My family just took in a kitten who will be 8 weeks old on Sept. 2. I never took care of a kitten before, but my daughters wanted one, so I am trying to be patient and learn. This process, as far as the kitten is concerned, takes using my hearing as often as possible.

My encouragement for you, faithful readers is to keep trying, no matter your disability. Try, fail, learn from your mistake and try again. Don’t be afraid of something, just because it is new. Embrace it and use it for your good. Blindness, deafness, paralysis, all of these do not have to define you, if you don’t allow them.

Now, for some upcoming news. We, the Adkins and Wells team will be presenting at the WV Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind in Charleston, WV on Saturday, Sept. 9 at approximately 11:00 AM. We will be talking about writing, blogging, education, homeschool and our project, a textbook for children called, “Ducking into UEB”, a book that teaches Unified English Braille to children in grades 4-12 and older readers. If you’re interested to come and hear us and want more information, check facebook.com/adkinsandwells/. We will be creating an event, there.

We hope you have enjoyed today’s post. Questions or comments? Please feel free to drop us a comment below or contact us via email at adkinsandwells@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you. Here’s wishing you many blessings and a wonderful weekend. Catch you back here next Thursday.

Braille

Happy Thursday, and welcome to the blog. S.J. Wells here with you, and this post is a bumpy one. You could also say that I am bringing up a touchy subject. Yep, today, we’re talking about braille.

Way back in 1821, a man named Charles Barbier who had created a form of raised dots that French soldiers could use to read at night came to visit a school for the blind there in France. A student at the school named Louis Braille improved upon Barbier’s code and in 1824, the writing and reading system for the blind called braille was born. It was improved upon over the years, and n 1905 grade 2 was adopted. Today, a person who is blind or visually impaired can read braille books, read braille on a refreshable braille display, purchase jewelry and/or chocolate with braille on it, write braille on a slate and stylus, a Perkins Brailler or electronically as on a notetaker. Come a long way, haven’t we?

I began learning braille at the tender age of 3. I’ll never forget those long evenings in 3rd, 4th and 5th grade, my braille book open on the table, its thermoform pages feeling plastic and making it difficult to move my sweaty hands across the page. Hours, it seemed crawled by as I went word by word. Several seconds of figuring out what the letters were, then another few minutes were spent putting those letters together in my head, sounding them out, only to realize the word was a simple one, like waterfall. But, practice makes perfect, or at least, practice makes proficient, and today, I read my Bible every morning without difficulty. Plus side, no more thermoform pages; only real paper. LOL

Some say there is little use for braille, especially with speech programs aplenty. I use Voice Over on my iPhone and MacBook, and it works great. But, I don’t process information as well with speech. I need to “see” it in order to truly study it. That is why I prefer my Bible in braille.

Knowing braille has also come in handy when my children were small. I used print/braille books, ones that someone had placed strips of labeling or pieces of plastic pages above or below the printed text with braille on them. I could read to my children while they read along or looked at the pictures. If I used only speech on a computer, the voice of the speech program would have had to read it to my girls. Much more personal, being able to read to them, don’t you think?

So, today braille users here in the USA are switching from English Braille, American edition to Unified English Braille, UEB. It isn’t much different, but if you aren’t used to it, you will be a little confused. I’m sure children are having an easier time learning it or switching than we adults, but learn it we must, if we are to keep up with it. For my part, I am learning as I go, thanks to Anita. She is, after all, the braille teacher, here. :)

Which reminds me; we’re going to be speaking at the West Virginia state Convention of the National Federation of the Blind On Sept. 9, 2017. Our topic? Well, we’re going to be talking about writing, what it’s like to be authors, about education, about teaching, about braille, UEB especially and about the textbook Anita and I are collaborating on. It’s called “Ducking into UEB”, and its current publication date is Sept. 30, 2017. It’s for students, and there are a lot of fun features inside, such as songs and stories to help make learning fun. You’ll be hearing more about it in the following weeks, so I’ll not say anymore just now. But, keep us, our project and our presentation at the NFB convention in WV in your thoughts and prayers.

What are your experiences with braille? Have you had opportunity to learn it? Do you know someone who reads braille? We would love to hear from you, so drop us a comment below.

Be sure and come back next Thursday, as we have another interview to empower you. We’re changing it up a bit, and you won’t want to miss it. Hear from someone who spent her life teaching students who were blind and visually impaired. Until then, keep those fingers nimble.

Blessings.

Resolutions, and a Little on Canes

Welcome to the blog. Anita here with you this week with some things on my mind—blindness, cane travel, changes and resolutions to name a few.

Summer has blown by, and I find that I am out of shape. As I relax here on the couch, struggling to come up with a topic for this week's blog, I also ponder how I walked 1.8 miles today, something I haven't done all summer. I have been busy editing and revising “DUCKING INTO UEB”, a braille teaching program I created in collaboration with S.J. Wells that is expected to be published on September 30. More about that in the coming weeks.

Also in September, I will transition into a new decade of my life, and though it isn't January 1, I feel I want to make a New Year's resolution for myself just the same. And that is to live a healthier life and to always put others first. So I drank my last Coca-Cola yesterday. And, today, marks the first day that I am beginning to walk daily in order to start out my resolution early. I'm not sure how I'll help others yet, but I have a few weeks before my birthday to think on that.

Anyhow, walking makes me think of using my cane. It is a tool. Its key purposes are to keep me safe, to identify myself as blind to others, and to identify and to detect obstacles in my path. Sometimes, I also think of it as a guide since I use it to lead me on a given path as I walk; otherwise, I'd probably weave all over the sidewalk.

There are different types of canes. I own both a folding cane and a straight cane. The benefit to the folding cane is that I can fold it out of the way when in a vehicle or in a restaurant. Also, I prefer to use constant contact, and its tip tends to last a bit longer than my straight cane's tip does. The advantages to the straight cane are that it is very light in weight, it provides more audible feedback about the environment, and it has a round handle so I can use an open palm technique in which I open and close my hand rather than moving my wrist. For people who are learning to accept their blindness, this cane also demands to be used since it cannot be hidden from view and is more likely to be in one's hand and being used rather than stored in a car or bag.

Always remember it is Ok to be blind. The type of cane isn't as important, as the fact that you use it, and it keeps you safe. Be proud of your cane. Let it tell you about the upcoming drop-off, the metal trash can in front of you, or the change from a rough surface to a smooth surface. With your cane in hand, you can walk for exercise and also to make it to and from a variety of destinations on your own, and you won't have to wait for someone to have the time or to be bothered with doing for you what you can do for yourself.  I learned long ago, a cane gives me independence, and independence has the power to give me freedom to be who I am and to do what I want to do; it enables me to do things safely and confidently. As a result, my blindness will not control my life. Sure, it will still inconvenience me, as it will inconvenience you at times, but overall, we will be able to conquer its challenges with ease and confidence. And, that is what will give us the freedom to achieve our dreams, come what may.

Just FYI, the National Federation of the Blind offers free, long white canes to those who can not afford to buy one. For more information, go to this website, where you can learn about how to use and care for your cane, as well as order a free cane for yourself or a child under the age of 18.

What about you, faithful readers? Did your summer fly by too fast, too? We would love to hear from you, so drop us a comment anytime. Until next Thursday, have a great weekend and remember to count your blessings.

The Woman Behind the Book, Anita Adkins

Her desire is to be a role model, helping others who are blind to live a life filled with joy and success. Her mission is to help sighted people understand, blindness does not mean failure or inability. Discover the author behind the children’s book, “A Brother’s Love”, Anita Adkins.

Born with Optic Atrophy and Retinitis Pigmentosa, or RP, both Anita and her brother have been blind since birth. Wanting her children to excel in school, her mother and a few other members of her family moved from their home in Lincoln County, WV to Romney, WV so Anita and her brother could attend the WV School for the Blind. It turned out to be the best decision her mother could have made. Anita graduated from WVSB in 1996 as valedictorian of her class.

Many of the experiences she had at WVSB shaped her beliefs about blindness and independence, even when she wasn’t aware. “I remember,” she says, “When I was a kid, I used to help walk the littler kids to school each morning. The ground on one such day was very snowy, and I was so afraid of getting lost that I cried.  But, another student walked back and helped me. Now, I am a confident traveler, and  snow doesn't stop me from getting out.  I have learned that I don't have to stay on an exact route. It is okay to be to the right or to the left, as long as I am headed within a general direction and paying attention to other safety concerns, such as making sure I am on the sidewalk instead of in the street.”

“I was taught skills that I can carry over to many different tasks,” she says. “For example, one time, I showed up at the wrong classroom for my Spanish class at West Virginia University at Parkersburg, or WVUP, and only realized it after the instructor started talking about human development. Another time, I tried to make tuna noodle casserole, and it turned out to be tuna bread.”

Never one to give up, Anita’s motto should be, “Keep trying until success.” Anything that can be done with vision can also be done without vision; it is just done differently and sometimes, accommodations are necessary.

Greatest accomplishment? Greatest challenge?

“My greatest accomplishment was graduating from college because in addition to the academics at which I excel, I also had to intern at a public school. This proved to me, I could be successful in a sighted world.  My greatest challenge is accessing print and other visual information and traveling to locations outside walking distance. There are solutions to these challenges. I view my blindness as just part of who I am, and I use whatever tools and techniques I need too as part of living a happy and productive life.

Currently, Anita teaches braille and coaches goal ball.  In the past, she worked as a blindness skills instructor at a rehabilitation agency for the blind and as a seamstress in the sewing department of the same agency.  Prior to that, she was a production assistant in which she proof read braille and tested websites for accessibility/usability. She enjoys reading, writing, playing word games, and spending time with family and friends. She has two cats, Tiger Lee and Whiskers Elizabeth. She decided to work in the blindness field, because she wants to share what she has learned through trial and error and through formal training with others traveling a similar path. She wants them to know, people who are blind can be independent and happy and can support themselves, if they receive training in blindness skills and have a positive attitude about blindness.

Thus, her very first book, “A Brother’s Love”. Written for children in grades 3 to 6, it is intended mainly for siblings of kids who are blind or for those who know someone who is blind However, all will enjoy reading of Cody’s desire to protect the brother he loves so much. Cody’s brother, Joey lost his sight as a result of a car accident.  When a man shows up wanting Joey to go away to a camp for blind kids and also hoping to spend time teaching Joey blindness skills, Cody is scared and tries to prevent Joey from going to camp. Only $2.99, “A Brother’s Love” is available on kindle from Amazon. Anita wrote this book because she wants people who are sighted to realize, with proper training and a positive outlook, people, regardless of their disabilities can be and do whatever they want.

Anita has also written a manual to teach Unified English Braille, or UEB, because she did not  have a curriculum in her classroom that teaches the new code. She has written other educational-type narratives that teach about blindness, as well.

“If I were to give any advice to our readers, “Anita says, “it would be, advocate for yourself, no matter your challenges. Embrace the techniques and skills that will help to make you successful. Find a way to make the lives of other people better, using your own skills and talents.  And, have fun!

To get in touch with Anita, you can send her an email at adkinsandwells@gmail.com

Thank you for spending time with us today. Be sure and come back next Thursday, as we blog here once a week.

Introduction

Welcome to the blog of Adkins and Wells. Are you a teacher of the visually impaired or a blindness professional? Or, are you blind or visually impaired? If so, you are in the right place. This blog was created to serve as a home where we can exchange resources and to share ideas about blindness. As we like to put it, we are lifelong learners, authors, and educators of students with blindness and visual impairments.

Like some of you, we are also blind. We have experienced what it is like to be educated as a blind student and what it is like to be a blind adult living in the real world and working outside the home. We have learned how to advocate and we have learned when and when not to do a given task ourselves. Independence means knowing the safest and most effective method for accomplishing a goal as a result of mastering alternative techniques, embracing a positive blindness philosophy, and learning to accept that all people, regardless of level of vision, sometimes need help. Before we can know what we can do or what we may need help with, we must first develop a habit of performing tasks with no assistance. Sometimes it is a misunderstanding about the abilities of the blind, fear or the habits of always asking someone else to do something for us that makes us less independent. Independence equals freedom and success in personal, educational, and professional pursuits. Independence improves our quality of life. The best place for achieving the goal of independence is attending a blindness training program, like the one at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland or the Louisiana Center for the Blind. Contacting the National Federation of the blind or the American Council of the Blind to learn more about blindness is also a great idea.

We will sometimes be posting questions on this blog to encourage blindness professionals and blind people to debate a topic, meaning we want people to think and share their viewpoints. Please be respectful to others and use only appropriate language since anyone, regardless of age, may visit our site. Don't criticize other people; you may disagree with an opinion, but debate against the opinion rather than the person. Our goal is to improve the lives of blind people everywhere by sharing our own experiences as blind individuals. Please understand we are only sharing our opinions. What we say does not replace that of a physician or other expert in the field. We are not responsible for any injuries or other negative effects that you may experience as a result of information provided on this blog. With that said, our goal is for the information to be as accurate as it can be.

Who we are

Adkins and Wells is the writing team of Anita Adkins, braille teacher at the West Virginia Schools for the Deaf and Blind and inspirational fiction author S. J. Wells. Best friends ever since we met at WVSB, we have been using braille for over 35 years.

Prior to teaching at WVSB, Anita was a braille proof reader and web accessibility tester, then a blindness rehabilitation teacher at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland. She currently holds national certifications in Unified English Braille and literary braille, and certification as a Teacher of the Visually Impaired.  She is a member of both the Braille Literacy Division and At Large Chapter of the WV division of the National Federation of the Blind.  She is also a member of the Romney Lions Club and The National Association of Special Education Teachers. She has been blind since birth due to Optic Atrophy and retinitis pigmentosa. When she is not spending time with her close family and friends, she is enjoying the company of her two cats, Tiger Lee and Whiskers Elizabeth.  She enjoys delving into a good book, writing, learning, pretending to exercise by playing in the pool and walking about town, and playing word games.

S. J. Wells started writing when she was 8 years old, and published her first novel, “Wild Heart” in 2009. Since then, she has went on to publish two more novels, “To Tame A Heart” in 2011 and “A Moment in Time” in 2014. She is currently at work on her fourth and fifth books. A minister’s wife, S. J. homeschools her two daughters, enjoys writing, reading, baking, yarn crafting, outings with her family and friends, singing and playing the piano and learning new things. Blind since birth due to glaucoma, cataracts and scar tissue, she spent most of her elementary years in a public school setting with a teacher for the visually impaired working with her and her teachers to insure books and other printed materials were made accessible. She spent her eleventh and twelfth grade years of high school at the West Virginia School for the Blind, graduating in 1997 as salutatorian of her class. Before becoming a full time parent and author, she worked as a braille proof reader, then a sewing machine operator at Blind Industries and Services of Maryland. To learn more about S. J. Wells, visit her blog.

Put us together, and what do you get? Adkins and Wells, A dynamic duo collaborating on a new project. “DUCKING into UEB”, was born out of a desire to provide students with a quality UEB curriculum. Creative writers, Adkins and Wells , are lifelong learners who are not afraid to try something new. We believe our current project is the only curriculum geared toward students in fourth to twelfth grade. Our hope is this blog will serve as a virtual classroom for all.

Thank you for reading and actively participating. Be sure to come back next Thursday, as we are posting once a week.