Joe Weisse is co-coordinator for the Low Vision Support Group of Natick for the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Now retired, for 33 years Weisse was Public Information Officer for the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind. Using his communications background, Weisse is a longtime Amateur (ham) Radio operator making contacts with stations around the world.
In this podcast, Joe Weisse talks with Helen Osborne about:
- Degrees of vision loss and blindness. These include people who are blind since birth and those who lose vision as they age.
- Strategies to communicate in person or over the phone. A great way to start is by asking, “How can I help you?”
- Strategies to communicate in print and on the computer. It is important to consider factors such as type size, paper choice, and information that can be read aloud with speech output technology.
- Strategies and caveats about relying on technology to communicate. While technology can be helpful to many people, not everyone can, or is willing to, use it.
More ways to learn:
- Massachusetts Commission for the Blind
- Health Literacy Out Loud #212: Making health information accessible to people with disabilities. Interview with Liz Persaud and John Rempel. (June 1, 2021). [Podcast]. Osborne H, host.
- Health Literacy Out Loud #89: Health education for children with disabilities. Interview with Charlotte Cushman. (January 8, 2013). [Podcast]. Osborne H, host.
- Health Literacy Out Loud #21: Age-related vision loss. Interview with Cynthia Stuen. (September 8, 2009). [Podcast]. Osborne H, host.
Read a transcript of this podcast.
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