I know, or have met, deaf-blind people with BA degrees and MA degrees, including one deaf-blind woman with an MA degree in computer programming!! I don’t think they are interested in your sympathy — only in your support for the laws and technologies they need to live up to their full potential.

Thank you,

“You might find that the people you assume are “stupid” are more aware than you think.”

Now the reason i put this here is to sum this up. I hope this is directed towards me calling you stupid, and not calling deaf-blind people stupid. I would never make fun of someone for a condition that they can not help. I feel much sympathy for them.

If it was directed towards me saying that, you need to re-word it. And yes, i did jump to the gun. Thats what being drunk on the internet does. And i apologize. I fully support the advancements made to make people with those conditions life easier.

I happen to know quite a number of DEAF-BLIND people who do, in fact use the internet. There are screen-reading systems that can “translate” text (emails, some web pages, some file formats such as Word) into a Braille read-out. Deaf-blind people with the right technology are entirely able to communicate via the Internet. I should know. I have communicated with plenty of them.

Instead of slamming people for being “stupid” for saying things you don’t expect, how about taking the time to actually EDUCATE yourself about the technologies that are available to deaf, blind, AND deaf-blind people? You might find that the people you assume are “stupid” are more aware than you think.

Andrea Shettle, MSW