Back to school. How things have changed.

How school has changed in just a few short decades for people with disabilities.

I started my school career at Carleton University.

NO I wasn't a genius.  It was a special pre-school for kids with disabilities.  Maybe other kids too.

I went there first when I was three I think.

yesterday, as I moved with my guide dog through the very crowded halls of Carleton, I thought about that.

I was moving through the carleton halls to go and co-host our radio show "Welcome to my world" a show by, for, and about people with disabilities.

I would have thought it was very cool then that I was hosting a radio show.

I always loved the radio, records, radio plays, music, and sound.

When I started school, there were no talking computers, fancy braille displays, smart phones, or tiny recording devices.

books were not available electronically.

I learned to type on a huge typewriter.  I could not proof read my work although the touch typing I still do and am doing right now in fact, is most useful.

I learned to braille on a huge and heavy perkins brailler and although I don't use it often, I use braille on my braille display all of the time.

I used huge tape recorders to have people read books and articles and input music for me.

Now  I use my phone or a tiny recorder that fits in my pocket.

Although things have changed and evolved gratly, still those basic skills I started to learn at CArleton all those years ago, still help me every day.

Knowing how to navigate my environment using sound cues, touch, smell.  Reading and writing braille, touch typing, advocating for myself.  All of these skills are the same and still so very important.

The link to our blog where the radio show link is is

http://ckcuwelcometomyworld.wordpress.com