I tried to send this direct but it would not go through so I'll put it
    on the list.
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    I work at the Museum of Ophthalmology and also have friends who
    have explored this topic.

    While finishing my grad work at JFK U in Orinda, CA, one of my
    class mates, Joanne Moore, did her grad. project on this topic
    at the DeYoung Museum.  One of the things she discovered is that
    the visually impaired don't necessarily want special treatment.
    1)  They tend to visit museums with sighted friends
    2)  In audio discriptions, they tend to want only one or two
    descriptors--and find that a list of discriptions only bogs them
    down.
    3)  Most were satisfied with the regular tours offered
    4)  In the same vein, art work that can be touched was equally
    enjoyed by sighted audiences--in general, all people like to
    touch.

    At my museum, we have found that braille labels and braille guides
    are rarely if ever used.  One reason is that many visually
    impaired people no longer read braille, and if a person does read
    braille, it suggests that they are completely blind and thus need
    assistance to even find the braille label--which takes us back to
    point one--that they are visiting with a sighted friend.  We have
    worked closely with the Lighthouse for the Blind and the American
    Foundation for the Blind on a few projects.

    It's a fascinating subject that shows us one amazing thing-that as
    far as museums are concerned, people tend to all want the same
    thing and all benefit form main-line educational resources.
    Primariy, people visit museums as a social activity and also with
    the added benefit that they just might learn something along the
    way.

    That, at least, is my experience. You may try contacting JFK
    University in Orinda, CA, and see if Gail Anderson, Chair of the
    dept., can get you in touch with Joanne Moore.   Also, you may
    wish to share this with the rest of the list--I think they would
    find it interesting.

    Good luck.

    John Handley
    [log in to unmask]



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