Colorado Center for the Blind-New Heights of Independence

Colorado Center for the Blind-New Heights of Independence

Future Reflections Winter 1989, Vol. 8 No. 1
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COLORADO CENTER FOR THE
BLIND-NEW HEIGHTS OF
INDEPENDENCE
by Diane McGeorge
The Colorado Center for the Blind is a unique,
exciting program which is designed to meet the
needs of blind persons across the country. Our
program acknowledges the differing needs of
each student and offers a responsive, highly individualized
program. Presently, most of our students
are referred through Colorado Rehabilitation
Services; however, we also accept students
from out of state.
The major problem faced by blind persons is a
lack of confidence in their abilities to live independently
and cope with the demands which they
face in education, work, and family life. The
CCB's program is designed to assist blind students
to develop the skills and understanding of
blindness that they need to live effectively as
responsible men and women.
The CCB operates a residential program. Students
live in apartments and travel to the educational
center each day for classes. Many classes
take place in the apartments. Skills that are required
to maintain an apartment, care for one's
wardrobe, and prepare meals are taught in this
residential setting.
Emphasis is placed upon the development of excellent
cane travel skills and effective problem
solving skills employed in competent travel.
Braille, computer skills, and verbal communications
are taught in communications classes. Students
are encouraged to participate in public
meetings to build confidence in their communication
skills. They are also given opportunities
to use Braille and other alternative communication
techniques in genuine life situations.
The Colorado Center for the Blind is on the cutting
edge in the use of adventure education as a
strategy to work with students. Skiing, rock
climbing, horseback riding, special exercise classes,
and the martial arts are all used to assist the
students to develop skills and personal confidence
in their ability to achieve difficult tasks
and endure hard, demanding situations. Students
learn that they can perform successfully in
physically demanding tasks which they thought
beyond their capabilities.
CCB is concerned with the totality of its students.
The goal of the program is to assist students to
become whole, mature people. They should posess good skills in daily living, travel, communication,
and other alternative techniques of blindness,
but more importantly, they should be free
from negative concepts related to their blindness.
The
future for blind people can be bright. What
the CCB offers is a strategy which can provide an
entry into a meaningful life and a successful and
productive future for all those ready to throw off
the bond of the past and accept a new definition
of what it means to be blind.
For more information, please contact:
Colorado Center for the Blind
2232 South Broadway
Denver, CO 80210
(303)778-1130
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