History & Law
On October 15, we celebrate White Cane Safety Day. This U.S. President signed the original 1964 congressional proclamation establishing it.
Who was Lyndon B. Johnson?
This black center of the eye changes size to control how much light enters.
What is the pupil?
This is the specific type of technology (such as JAWS or VoiceOver) that reads aloud the text and elements displayed on a computer or phone screen.
What is a screen reader?
When entering a room where a person with a visual impairment is present, you should always do this basic action so they know you are there.
What is say hello/speak out loud to announce yourself?
True or False: Sitting too close to the television screen will permanently ruin your eyesight.
False (It can cause temporary eye strain, but it does not cause permanent damage).
This civil rights law, passed in 1990, protects individuals with disabilities—including visual impairments—from discrimination in public spaces and workplaces.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
This is the clear, protective outer layer covering the front of the eye that handles most of the light focusing.
What is the cornea?
In addition to obstacle detection, a long white cane allows a traveler to sense changes in this feature of the ground, like transitioning from concrete sidewalk to grass.
What is ground texture or surface material?
True or False: If you see someone using a white cane who seems to need help, you should immediately grab their arm or cane to guide them.
What is false? (You should ask first, never grab them, and listen to the response)
True or False: Reading a book in dim light will cause permanent damage to your eyes.
False (Like sitting close to the TV, it only causes temporary eye fatigue).
These are the two primary defensive driving actions a motorist must take immediately upon approaching a pedestrian carrying a white cane or utilizing a guide dog.
What is come to a complete stop/yield the right-of-way?
Everyone has a natural "blind spot" in their vision because there are no photoreceptors where this major nerve connects to the retina.
What is the optic nerve?
This code system, named after an American mathematician, is the specialized adaptation of Braille used specifically for complex math and science notations.
What is the Nemeth Code?
When describing directions to a classmate with low vision, you should avoid vague words like "over there" and instead use these descriptive references.
What are specific directional cues? (e.g., "to your left," "three steps ahead," or clock-face positions).
This common myth assumes that everyone who uses a white cane has this exact level of sight, whereas most cane users actually have some remaining usable vision.
What is total blindness? (Most people who are legally blind have some light perception or partial vision).
This 19th-century French educator lost his sight as a child and went on to invent the tactile reading and writing system used globally today.
Who was Louis Braille?
This condition—characterized by a gradual clouding of the eye's natural lens—is one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide.
What is a cataract?
These tactile aids utilize raised lines and textures to let visually impaired students explore graphs, images, maps, and geometric shapes by touch.
What are raised-line drawings/tactile graphics?
When a guide dog is wearing its harness, you should never pet, feed, or distract it for this specific safety reason.
What is because the dog is working? (Distractions can put the handler in danger).
True or False: When describing a visual image or scene to a blind student, you must completely avoid mentioning colors.
False (Many blind individuals appreciate full descriptions, including colors, for cultural context and design clarity).
Negative attitudes and misconceptions are the main barriers to this metric, which currently sees an unemployment rate of over 70% within the blind community.
What is the employment rate?
To be classified as "legally blind" in the United States, a person's visual acuity in their better eye must be this metric or worse, even with regular corrective lenses.
What is 20/200?
This smartphone app connects blind users with live, sighted volunteers via video calls to help navigate unfamiliar spaces or read text on labels.
What is Be My Eyes?
Keeping a classroom or hallway safe for cane users involves simple maintenance, like ensuring these two specific furniture items are always pushed all the way in.
What are chairs and desks?
While text descriptions are vital, a screen reader user cannot effectively interpret an online image unless the website creator adds this invisible HTML attribute.
What is alt text (alternative text)?