heroes in history

what it means to be a hero
According to Joseph Cambell's hero structure for "The Hero With A Thousand Faces", a hero must venture his journey, that is, Departure, Initiation, and Return as a hero with a gift to improve the world. The stories of Perseus, Heracles, Achilles, Julius Caesar follow his theory closely.

Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was ruled under the power of Pharaoh(becoming divine after death), who developed served to legitimize the state control and unity f the Egyptian people by means of a elaborate system of religious believes. Pharaoh also made land grants to his mortuary cults and local temples to ensure these institutions would have the necessary resources to worship the pharaoh after his death. The peak o Ancient Egypt's power was during the reign of Ramesses II of 19th dynasty. He created many more splendid temples, such as Abu Simbel on the Nubian border he recovered territories in the Levant conquest the battle of Kadesh. Sun worship was exceptionally prevalent in ancient Egyptian religion. The Sun's movement across the sky represents a struggle between the Pharaoh's soul and an avatar of Osiris. The "solarisation" of several gods (Hnum-Re, Min-Re, Amon-Re) reaches its peak in the period of the fifth dynasty.

Ancient Greek
Perseus
Perseus was the first mythic hero in Greek mythology. He was born in half immoral; he was son of Zeus who came to Perseus's mother in the form of shower of gold and impregnated her. Perseus and his mother then were sent away by his grand father, the King Acrisus of Argos who was warned by an oracle that he would be killed in time by his daughter's son. Persseus was raised by fisherman Dictys whose brother Polydectes fell in love with Perseus's mother and sent Perseus away in disgrace. Polydectes demanded the head of Medusa, one of the Gorgans who turns people into stone. After a long time wander, Perseus had Mermes help to accomplish his mission. On his way return to Seriphos, he rescued the daughter of King Cepheus, Andromeda and wed her. Perseus returned home and founded Mycenae.

Heracles
Heracles was a divine hero, the son of Zeus and Alcmene, and the great grandson of Perseus. Zeus disguising himself as Alcmene's husband and impregnated her. Hera then often conspired Zeus' offspring as revenge for her husband's infidelities. She tried to stop Alcmene gave birth to Heracles. Heracles was sent to tend cattle on a mountain by his foster father after he killed his music tutor. Heracles was visited by tow nymphs and offered him a choice between an easy life or severe but glorious life. He chose the tough one and complete the task. Later, Heracles married King's daughter; however, Hera drove Heracles into madness and killed both Megara and their children our of jealous of Heracles . To pay for the crime, Heracles was asked to carry out 12 labors set by his arch-enemy, Eurystheus, who had become king in Heracles' place. Heracles accomplished these tasks. Heracles married four times. He was killed by the plot which set by Nessus who attempted to rape Heracles' wife. After death the gods transformed Heracles into an immortal.

Achilles
Achilles was the son of mortal Peleus, king of the Myrmidons, and the immortal sea nymph Thetis. He was a hero of the Trojan War. Achilles first refused the call to fight/lead his troops alongside the other Greek forces; however, as he received the death of Patroclues, who was consented to lead the battle, Achilles ended his refusal to fight and took th field killing many men in his rage. The god tried to drown Achilles to restrain him but stopped by Hera and Hephaestus. Finally, Achilles got his vengeance by killing Hector but latesr killed by Paris, Hector's coward brother. Achilles was undefeated except his heel.

Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar was a hero who transformed the Roman Republic into the Rome Empire. Caesar was born into a patrician family. He was nominated to be the high priest after the death of his father. He joined the army and later played more important role in his political journey. He faced with the choice between a triumph and the consulship; Caesar chose the consulship. Caesar was elected as a dictator; he was considered the best orator ad author of prose in Rome.



Alexander III
Alexander was an ancient Greek, the son of King Philip II, the king of Macedon; he conquered the Achaemenid Persian Empire (Anatolia, Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Gaza, Egypt, Bactria and Mesopotamia) and extended the boundaries of his own empire as far as the borders of Punjab by the time of his death. He encouraged marriage between his army and foreigners and practiced it himself. His conquests lead in centuries of Greek settlement and cultural influence over distant areas. Aristotle was Alexander's most important tutor who gave Alexander a thorough training in rhetoric and literature and stimulated his interest in science, medicine and philosophy. Alexander was welcomed as a liberator in Egypt and was pronounced the son of Zeus by Egyptian priests of the god Amun at the Oracle of the god; therefore, Alexander referred to the god Zeus-Ammon as his true father, and subsequent currency featuring his head with ram horns was proof of this widespread belief.


Gautama Buddha
Gautama Buddha was a spiritual teacher from ancient India and the founder of Buddhism. He was destined to be a prince but he felt that material wealth was not the ultimate goal of life. He then started his journey as ascetic to seek out a greater understanding of life and spiritual fulfilment. After he almost starving himself to death, he started to reconsider his path; he remembered a moment in childhood in which he had been watching his father start the season's plowing, and he had fallen into a naturally concentrated and focused state that was blissful and refreshing, the jhana. After 49 days meditating, at the age of 35, he attained Enlightenment. After his Enlightenment, Buddha was wondering whether he should teach the Dharma (Buddhism) to human beings. He was concerned that, human beings were overpowered by greed, hatred and delusion; they would not be able to see the true dharma. However, a divine spirit, Brahmā Sahampati, interceded and asked that he teach the dharma to the world, as "there will be those who will understand the Dharma". With his great compassion to all beings in the universe, the Buddha agreed to become a teacher.


Genghis Khan
Genghis Khan is one of history's more charismatic and dynamic leaders. He conquered more territory than any other conqueror, and his established the largest contiguous empire in history. Even today his legacy continues in Asia, for without Genghis Khan there would not be a Mongolia. Genghis Khan was first called Temuchin. He endured many hardships, including the kidnapping of his wife Borte, but slowly recruited supporters and assumed a mantle of leadership among the Mongols. After rising to power in 1185, Temuchin experienced numerous setbacks and, eventually, victories. He led his armies against the Jin Dynasty that ruled northern China. War continued against the Jin until 1234, after his death. He was buried in an unmarked grave somewhere in his native Mongolia. His descendants went on to stretch the Mongol Empire across most of Eurasia, conquering all of modern-day China and Mongolia, as well as substantial portions of modern Russia, southern Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Napoleon
Napoleon was a general during the French Revolution, the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Mediator of the Swiss Confederation and Protector of the Confederation of the Rhine. He developed relatively few military innovations. He drew his best tactics from a variety of sources and scored several major victories with a modernized and reformed French army. His campaigns are studied at military academies all over the world and he is widely regarded as one of history's greatest commanders. Napoleon is also remembered for the establishment of the Napoleonic Code (Code Napoléon), which laid the bureaucratic foundations for the modern French state.









A brief history of Heroes

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,708937-1,00.html

hero categories/system

Hero categories are characterized by point-based character creation and the rigor with which it measures character abilities.

Heroes in fiction-
Superman
Superman is a fictional, comic book superhero widely considered to be one of the most famous and popular characters and an American cultural icon with a strong moral compass. Upon reaching maturity the character develops superhuman abilities, resolving to use these for the benefit of humanity. With the success of his adventures, Superman helped to create the superhero genre and establish its primacy within the American comic book.. Superman is an alien; he is hailed as "The Man of Steel," "The Man of Tomorrow," and "The Last Son of Krypton". Superman has also held fascination for scholars, with cultural theorists, commentators, and critics alike exploring the character's impact and role in the United States and the rest of the world.

Heroes as a medical profession-
Florence Nightingale (1820-1910)
Florence Nightingale is the founder of modern nursing. She transformed nursing into a respectable profession and set the standards for clean, safe hospitals in the world; nursing wasn't a respectable profession at the time. 1854 Nightingale pioneered modern nursing in Crimean War. 1856 returned to England heroine, confidante to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. 1857 influenced reform of army medical system (implemented in 1859). Nightingale is honored as the first great nurse of the world.

Heroes as a movie stars-
Christopher Reeve
Reeve was best known for his role as Superman -- he was Superman. Reeve said, "What makes Superman a hero is not that he has power, but that he has the wisdom and the maturity to use the power wisely. From an acting point of view, that's how I approached the part." Life was going great until 1995. During the cross-country portion of a horseback riding show, he was thrown off his horse head first onto the ground. He fractured the uppermost vertebrae in his spinal cord and couldn't breathe. Superman was paralyzed from the neck down. Christopher Reeve was susceptible to diseases and used an electronic wheelchair to move around. Despite that, he remained very active. He started the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, which supports research to develop cures and treatments for paralysis. Christopher Reeve, brave warrior for spinal cord and stem cell research.

Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan has come a long way from his poverty-stricken childhood in Hong Kong, but he hasn't forgotten that there are still people suffering. Besides using laughter to heal and entertain his audiences, Jackie continues to dedicate his time and money to worthwhile causes. Jackie Chan does more than make incredible movies, though. He also founded the Jackie Chan Charitable Foundation in Hong Kong, and then in Japan. This foundation provides scholarships to needy students and assists injured performers and their families. He also has a Jackie Chan Youth Center in Hong Kong. Jackie assists those in America as well as his home country. He raised $300,000 dollars for an organization called Self-Help for the Elderly, which is based in San Francisco. The organization dedicated a center for Alzheimer's patients in Jackie's name in gratitude for his efforts. Another organization, called the Jackie Chan Sends Warmth Movement, provided winter coats for the elderly and homeless.

Heroes as a scientist-
Leonardo da Vinci
Leonardo da Vinci is, known as one of the greatest inventors and thinkers of the Italian Renaissance. He was an architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, and "inventor of genius." He was the prime example of the Renaissance's idea of a "whole and complete person." He especially excelled in science and art, and was always thinking outside of the box. Many of his ideas have been an inspiration for some modern technology. His most famous and important discoveries were in human anatomy. Leonardo was the first to believe that knowledge about the world must be based on scientific evidence from experiments.

Albert Einstein
Einstein’s genius and fascination with nature pointed him toward a life of scientific discovery. His first publication(1905) is known as the 'Special Theory of Relativity.' It introduced an entirely new concept of time and motion. As a mathematical addition to this theory, Einstein introduced his famous equation, E=mc2, which he called 'energy-mass equivalence'. Einstein was regarded as the rising star of theoretical physics. In 1916, about halfway through the First World War, Einstein published his famous General Theory of Relativity. In November 1921, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. Einstein surrendered his lifelong pacifism in 1939, when he wrote a letter to Franklin D. Roosevelt encouraging the President to begin atomic weapon research. He felt uneasy about the rise in power of Nazi Germany and was told that German physicists had split the uranium atom. A citation like this could create a nuclear chain reaction permitting large amounts of radium elements and huge amounts of energy to be produced. It was on March 25, 1945 that Einstein sent a second letter to President Roosevelt warning him of the cataclysmic and destructive outcome that would result if an atomic bomb were ever actually used. President Roosevelt died on April 12, 1945 and the letter lay on his desk, unopened! Einstein was burdened by the misuse of that which he loved the most, a mathematical expression of nature.

Heroes as an artist-
Vincent Van Gogh
The mental illness and personal tragedy that plagued Vincent Van Gogh's existence and rendered vast tragedy throughout his life would serve him in his art, propelling him to convey his anguish and despair on canvas. In his 37 years of life, he created over 900 paintings and 1100 drawings, and came to be known as one of the Netherlands’ greatest national treasures, as well as one of the world’s most renowned, respected, and influential artists.

Bob Dylan
Folk-rock singer-songwriter Bob Dylan not only revolutionized popular music by incorporating poetry into his compositions, he also helped create a more inclusive and progressive social consciousness in American culture. Dylan has a loyal following in the music world, he was able to put all the different types of music together and found words to go along. He made the world make sense to the people who listened. and some people even think of him as a shaman, or prophet. He is respected for speaking his own truth.

Heroes in sports-
Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time; he gave it his all off the court as much as he did on. He helped many different people, in many different ways. In 1994 he started the James R. Jordan Boys and Girls Club and Family Life Center, named after his father. The Center, which is located in Chicago, Illinois, opened to the public in 1996.

Heroes as politician-
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln is remembered for his vital role as the leader in preserving the Union during the Civil War and beginning the process that led to the end of slavery in the United States. He is also remembered for his character, his speeches and letters, and as a man of humble origins whose determination and perseverance led him to the nation's highest office.

Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. has inspired people around the world with his message of peaceful resistance and racial equality. Dr. King, himself, was greatly influenced by the success of Mahatma Ghandi's nonviolent protests in India. He was a peaceful freedom fighter and civil rights activist.

Heroes in marketing-
Bill Gates
Bill Gates is co-founder of Microsoft, is devoted to humanitarian causes around the world. Bill Gates believe every life has equal value.

Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein has paid particular attention to the images included in its advertisements. These ads are particularly noteworthy for their edginess by questioning gender, sexual, and representational stereotypes. Klein insisted that the campaign was not pornographic -- that the ads were intended to "convey the idea that glamour is an inner quality that can be found in regular people in the most ordinary setting; it is not something exclusive to movie stars and models."


MacGregor's Everyman as Hero


Reference:
http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=Sukarlan_stursula_indonesia_06_ul
http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/educational/handouts/ethics/calvin_klein_case_study.cfm

• Heroes in the entertainment world;
• Heroes in history;
• Heroes celebrated in school;
• Heroes in fiction (literature—characters or authors);
• Heroes in science;
• Heroes who have been “life savers.”

hero

what is hero?
hero is a symbol of security and he has a personality. hero or heroine came to refer to characters that, he or she shows courage and the will for self-sacrificein when face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, that is, heroism, for some greater good, originally of martial courage or excellence but extended to more general moral excellence. heroism may set as moral examples such as Heracles, Perseus, or Achilles, played an important role in Ancient Greek religion.

Perseus was the Greek hero who decapitated Medusa; founded Mycenae. Perseus was an authentic historical figure to the Greeks.

Heracles was great-grandson of Perseus. He was the greatest of the Greek heroes, a paragon of masculinity; Extraordinary strength, courage, ingenuity, and sexual prowess with both males and females were among his characteristic attributes.






HERO Quotes
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
-- Christopher Reeve quotes

“One cannot always be a hero, but one can always be a human.”
-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes

"A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man."
-- Joseph Campbell from The Hero with a Thousand Faces


The Hero with a Thousand Faces

how heroes play roles in advertising

Advertising started playing an active role in the economy of developed societies from the early 1930s. From that period of time advertising was connected to celebrities (Patti and Frazer, 1988). Celebrities acted as spokespersons, in order to advertise and promote products, services and ideas. Those celebrities came from the art scene, modelling, sports and the movie industry. The first advertisers used celebrities as pioneers in order to dictate trends. Today advertising strategies, which involve celebrities, are becoming more and more sophisticated and complicated.

Sport celebrities in advertising
The important role of sports in people’s everyday life could not leave advertisers unaffected. Sport spectators, participants and athletes are appealing target groups for companies which wish to sell them new products and services.

Graphic Novel

A graphic novel is a type of comic book, usually with a lengthy and complex storyline similar to those of novels, and often aimed at mature audiences. The term also encompasses comic short story anthologies, and in some cases bound collections of previously published comic-book series.

Humor was an effective way to address social ills or political agendas. One of the best examples of this type of publication is POOR RICHARD'S ALMANAC, printed in 1732 by Benjamin Franklin. THE YELLOW KID released in 1897. Underground comics began to appear in the mid-sixties. many used satire to comment on political and social issues of the times such as the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights movement. The most successful graphic novel series in the United States so far has been Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN series. The term "graphic novel" was intended to distinguish it from traditional comic books, with which it shared a storytelling medium. The work is more serious, mature, or literary.

Heroes TV Show on NBC: NBC Official Site

Film Noir

Film noir is black and white film in French and features themes which are more negative than positive, with an overall dark and shadowy outlook--being filmed in black and white. The film genre takes in detective and crime noir as well as many gangster films of the 1930's.

Film noir has sources not only in cinema but other artistic media as well. The low-key lighting schemes commonly linked with the classic mode are in the tradition of chiaroscuro and tenebrism, techniques using high contrasts of light and dark developed by 15th- and 16th-century painters associated with Mannerism and the Baroque. Film noir's aesthetics are deeply influenced by German Expressionism, a cinematic movement of the 1910s and 1920s closely related to contemporaneous developments in theater, photography, painting, sculpture, and architecture. The first recognized noir movie was "Stranger on the Third Floor" from 1940.
Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as stretching from the early 1940s to the late 1950s.

Visual style
Film noirs tended to use low-key lighting schemes producing stark light/dark contrasts and dramatic shadow patterning. Characters' faces may be partially or wholly obscured by darkness.

Structure and narrational devices
Film noirs tend to have unusually convoluted story lines, frequently involving flashbacks, flashforwards, and other techniques that disrupt and sometimes obscure the narrative sequence. Voiceover narration—most characteristically by the protagonist.

Plots, characters, and settings
Crime, usually murder, is an element of almost all film noirs; in addition to standard-issue greed, jealousy is frequently the criminal motivation. A crime investigation—by a private eye, a police detective (sometimes acting alone), or a concerned amateur—is the most prevalent, but far from dominant, basic plot. Film noirs tend to revolve around heroes who are more flawed and morally questionable than the norm, often fall guys of one sort or another. The characteristic heroes of noir are described by many critics as "alienated". (the protagonist always has a major character flaw which leads to ruin.) The femme fatale is not always the only woman in the life of the main character. There is often a balance of the evil femme fatale with another pure and virtuous woman who only wishes the best for the protagonist. In this battle, it is the evil that always triumphs in noir. The protagonist is powerless to make the choice of the woman who is best for him.

Another facet of noir films is the flashback. In nearly all noir films, generous use is made of this vehicle. Often the flashbacks are voice-overs, narrated by the protagonist recounting, somewhat sarcastically, the reasons and details of his downfall. A good example of this is William Holden in "Sunset Boulevard", where he narrates the entire story in flashbacks of what occured before his death.

The plot of a noir movie is circuitous and holds many surprises and unanswered questions for the viewer. Sometimes the resolution of the plot is left hanging, casting an even darker aura over the film, such as the ending of "Scarlet Street", another great film noire in which the audience is left to wonder what eventually happens to the main character. Still, there is much action in noir films, even with the plot unwinding slowly and building to a riveting climax.

Noir heroes are flawed humans and always shown to have character imperfections. Many of those heroes are detectives, taking the cases of mysterious women who draw them into a tangled maze of evil by making use of their hypnotic sensuality. Detective noirs are among some of the most popular films of this genre. Films like the Sam Spade mysteries began the whole detective and crime noir sub-genre and cemented actors such as Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in the minds of noir buffs.

Worldview, morality, and tone
Film noir is often described as essentially pessimistic. The noir stories that are regarded as most characteristic tell of people trapped in unwanted situations (which, in general, they did not cause but are responsible for exacerbating), striving against random, uncaring fate, and frequently doomed. The movies are seen as depicting a world that is inherently corrupt. The tone of film noir is generally regarded as downbeat.

thesis research on color of black

Viewpoint of color black in culture influence:
Darkness and dirt are the spontaneous associations with black. In the world of symbol, black becomes the color of evil, the color of negation.

The color of black

Neutral symbolism:

1. Black sky refers to the appearance of space as one emerges from the Earth's atmosphere
2. In auto racing, a black flag signals a certain driver to go into the pits
3. In Portuguese politics, black is the party color of the Left Bloc
4. In ancient China, black was the symbol of North and Water, one of the main five colors
Positive symbolism:

1. In Western fashion, black is considered stylish, sexy, and powerful.
2. Black is seen as a color of seriousness and authority:
-Many priests of the older religious denominations traditionally wear black.
-Lawyers and judges often wear black robes.
3. Black Friday is the first Friday after Thanksgiving and is, statistically, the largest shopping day in the US. The concept is that, all the shopping can put a company into the black

Negative symbolism:
black is sometimes used with a negative connotation. The reasons for this are various, but the most widely accepted explanations are that night is experienced by humans as negative and dangerous. A secondary reason is that stains are most visible as dark additions to pale materials.

1. Black is often a color of mourning
2. Black magic is an evil form of magic, often connected with death
3. bad guys always wear black
4. A black cat is superstitiously considered bad luck and linked with death in the U.S., however in the UK a black cat is considered good luck.
5. Evil witches are stereotypically dressed in black and good fairies in white
6. death ( meet Joe Black)


Images in black:
1. batman
2 spider (spiderman)
3 owl
4 death
5 shadow
6 Islamite
7 vampire
8 priest
9 nightmare
10 ghost
11 music notes
12 Gothic style
13 skull








REFERENCE:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black

visualize graphic history

New thesis approach:

• many people don't know what graphic design means ( many of them refer this job title to fashion, interior design.. )
• there are less people enjoy reading
  
• could universal language makes history of graphic design more interesting?
• how about combine experience design and graphic icon?
  

culture of disabled

Deaf Culture

• Deaf people do not perceive themselves as having lost something (i.e., hearing) and do not think of themselves as handicapped, impaired, or disabled.
• Deaf culture commonly perceives the term hearing impaired as insulting or misleading (Deaf people feel the word "impaired" carries too much negativity)
• Deaf culture emphasizes community and interdependency but the main characteristic of Deaf culture is the use of signed languages
• Acceptance within Deaf culture can depend on the age at which a person became deaf

Common terms used within the Deaf community:

• This term refers to members of the Deaf community who share common values, norms, traditions, language, and behaviors.
• Deaf, hard of hearing, and deafened - Within the Deaf culture these words refer to a person's audiological status. Notice lower case "d'" is used. People who describe themselves as "hard of hearing" or "deafened" do not see themselves as members of the Deaf culture. Some may know sign language but their primary language is English
• Hearing Impaired - This term often is used by the media and society in general to refer to people with a hearing loss. A more acceptable generic phrase is "deaf and hard of hearing" to refer to all people with a hearing loss. Within the Deaf culture, the term "hearing impaired" often is seen as offensive. It suggests that Deaf people are "broken" or "inferior" because they do not hear.
• Hearing - Within the Deaf culture the term "hearing" is used to identify people who are members of the dominant American culture. One might think the ASL sign for "hearing" is related to the group's ability to hear (e.g., pointing to the ear). However, the sign for "hearing" is related to the ability to "talk." The act of talking is clearly visible to Deaf people, whereas listening or hearing is not. From the Deaf culture perspective, it is the act of "talking" that clearly separates the two groups.

Blind Culture

• Blindness is viewed in almost the opposite light from deafness
• Different Agenda
• use a form of written communication that differs from the mainstream. Braille bears no visual resemblance to the written alphabet and only a person trained to read Braille can do so
• The use of a long stick as a "bumper and probe" is generally recognized world wide as a sign of visual impairment.

REFERENCE
http://www.nfbnet.org/pipermail/nfbmo/2004-May/000391.html
http://www.jgb.org/resources.asp

what are the problems that disabled people have

1. Job opportunities are limited
2. Living environment is friendly for healthy people, need Accessible Environments
3. Disabled People Left Behind in Emergencies


Executive Summary (Media Literacy Audit: Report on media literacy of disabled people)



http://www.ofcom.org.uk/advice/media_literacy/medlitpub/medlitpubrss/disabled/

List of handicapped

1)People Who Are Blind or Who Have Vision Impairments
2)People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
3)People with Invisible (Hidden) Disabilities
4)People with Mental Retardation
5)People with Psychiatric Disabilities
6)People with Muscular or Neurological Limitation (Systemic Disabilities)
7)People with Mobility Impairments
8)Learning Disabilities

Communicating with Disabled People

• Be patient and listen attentively
• Use a normal tone of voice when extending a welcome
• Do not attempt to speak, or finish a sentence, for the person you are speaking to
• Never ask "what happened to you?" Restrain your curiosity.
• Address a disabled person by their first name only if you are addressing everyone else with the same familiarity.
• Speak directly to a disabled person, even if they are accompanied by an interpreter, personal assistant or companion.
• Never make assumptions about what anyone can do (or cannot do!).

Meeting People who are Blind or Visually Impaired

• Identify yourself clearly and introduce any other people present. Clearly indicate where people are located. (In work situations it's important to do this at the start of a meeting.)

• If speaking in a group it is helpful to identify the name of the person you are speaking to. People should introduce themselves before speaking.

• To shake hands, say "Shall we shake hands?"

• Before offering assistance, ask the individual how you may help. If the person asks for assistance, ask, "May I offer you an arm?" rather than taking an arm. This enables you to guide, rather than "propel" the person.

• Remember that most people with impaired vision do have some residual sight.

• If you are guiding someone, tell them when steps, stairs, ramps or other obstacles occur, and whether they are up or down.

• When you are offering a seat, guide the person's hand to the back or arm of the seat, and say this is what you are going to do.

• If leaving someone with a visual impairment in an area unfamiliar to them, inform the person you are leaving and connect them with someone else.

• When entering an unfamiliar area, give a brief description of the layout.

• Where someone might normally take notes, ask if they would like to tape the meeting or conversation.

• Provide written communication in an accessible format and, if possible, in the person's preferred format, such as floppy disk, in large print, on audio-cassette or in Braille.

• Papers for meetings should be available in advance, including minutes and any papers to be tabled. (These can be emailed if the person concerned uses a computer that has speech related text or is linked to a Braille printer.)

Meeting People who are Deaf or Hearing Impaired

• There are many different degrees and types of deafness and different ways for deaf people or those with hearing impairments to communicate. Some people who are profoundly deaf (usually from birth) use Sign Language as their first language.
• Try not to feel uncomfortable about communicating with a deaf or hearing impaired person, even if the communication feels awkward at first.
• If you do not understand what someone has said, ask him or her to repeat the sentence. Do not pretend you have understood when you have not.
• Ask the person to tell you how they prefer to communicate.
• Speak one at a time at meetings or gatherings. This enables lip-reading or interpreter communication.
• Written notes may help you present complicated information.
• Make sure a deaf person is looking at you before you begin speaking as he or she may need to lip-read. A gentle touch on the shoulder or arm will capture their attention.
• Keep background noise as low as possible.
• Check regularly that you have been understood.
• Stick to the agenda.
• Book interpreters or other support in advance.
• For interviews and meetings use a qualified Sign Language interpreter.
• If a sign language interpreter is present, speak to the deaf person, not the interpreter.
• Use an induction loop, enabling hearing impaired people to tune in their hearing aids directly to speakers and minimise background noise.

Meeting People who Lip-Read

• Many people reinforce what they hear with lip-reading. A few deaf people with no hearing at all use this alone. This is a demanding and tiring skill.
• Look directly at the person you are speaking to.
• Do not speak with your back to a light source as this will put your lips in shadow.
• Make sure you are visible and in good lighting when talking.
• Speak clearly and at an even pace, but do not distort or exaggerate your lip movements.
• Stop talking if you must turn away.
• Do not use exaggerated gestures.
• Do not block your mouth with your hands, cigarettes or food.

Meeting People who are Deafblind

• While deafblindness is a combination of hearing and sight impairments, remember that deafblind people are not always completely deaf or blind. In fact, most deafblind people do have some residual hearing or sight or both. The advice provided in the sections on people with impaired vision or hearing may, therefore, also apply.
• A deafblind person may speak to you but may not hear your voice. Let the person know you are there. Approach from the front and touch the person lightly on the arm or shoulder to attract their attention.
• Many deafblind people need to be guided. Individuals will have their particular preference as to how they wish to be guided. Some deafblind people experience poor balance.
• A deafblind person may be supported by a communicator-guide, or interpreter. Remember to speak to the individual rather than their assistant.
• Do not grab or "propel" a person. Let them know you are offering to escort them by guiding their hand to your elbow.

Meeting People with Speech Difficulties

• Be attentive, encouraging and patient, but not patronizing.
• Slowness or impaired speech does not reflect a person's intelligence.
• Refrain from correcting or speaking for the person. Wait quietly while the person speaks and resist the temptation to finish sentences for them.
• If you need more information, break down your questions to deal with individual points that require short answers.
• If you do not understand what someone has said, ask the individual to say it again. Never pretend to understand when you do not.
• Meeting People with Mobility Impairments
• Do not lean on a wheelchair. A wheelchair is a user's personal space.
• If you are talking for more than a few moments to someone in a wheelchair, try to position yourself so you are at the same level, or at least ask the person if they would like you to sit down.
• Be aware of your manner when you kneel or crouch to speak with the person. Do not alter your treatment of the individual. Treat adults like adults.
• If there is a high desk or counter, move to the front.
• Never touch or move crutches, canes, or push a wheelchair without the user's consent.
• Offer a seat to as someone who does not bring their own.
• Speak directly to a wheelchair user, not to their companion.
• Unless you know it is easy to move around your building in a wheelchair, offer to help. Heavy doors or deep-pile carpets are just some of the hazards to watch for. Do not assume ramps solve everything; they may be too steep or slippery.
• Do not be offended if your offer of help is refused. Many wheelchair users prefer to travel independently whenever possible.

Meeting People with Learning Difficulties

• Many people born with learning difficulties, those in the early stages or dementia or people who acquire a brain injury, live full and independent lives in the community. Most can make their own choices, with varying levels of support. The following may apply to any of these individuals:
• Begin by assuming the person will understand you.
• Speak to the person as you would anyone else. Do not assume you can predict from your initial impression what the person will or will not understand.
• Keep all communication simple. Avoid jargon.
• Consider putting information in writing, including your name and phone number.
• Provide straightforward summaries of written information.
• You could offer the person an appropriate record of a conversation (for example, an electronic version, or "easy to read" notes) so they can consider it again later and keep a record.
• Meeting People with Mental Health Problems
• Someone experiencing the emotional distress and confusion associated with mental health problems may find everyday activities very hard. Often the most significant disability people with mental health problems experience is created by the attitudes of others.
• Be patient and non-judgmental.
• Give the person time to make decisions.
• Provide clear and timely information with the aim of ensuring people arrive at a meeting as unstressed as possible.
• Remove any sources of stress and confusion, for example, noise, flashing lights.
• A person may require an advocate to help access information, or attend meetings or interviews.

REFERANCES:
http://www.opm.gov/disability/appempl_4-09.asp
http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/735/files/avw-02-types%20of%20disabilities.pdf
http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/PWD-Use-Web/
http://www.employers-forum.co.uk/www/bcidn/guides/eu-report/communicating.html

blind people background research

Helen Keller:

• Helen lost her vision and hearing in 1882.
• Helen met her life teacher in 1887.
• Helen wasn't abel to understand the meaning of words until the water bump on her hand. Her first understanding word was "water".
• Helen’s progress from then on was astonishing. Anne taught Helen to read, firstly with raised letters and later with braille, and to write with both ordinary and braille typewriters.
• Mary Swift Lamson who was to try and teach Helen to speak. This was something that Helen desperately wanted and although she learned to understand what somebody else was saying by touching their lips and throat, her efforts to speak herself proved at this stage to be unsuccessful. This was later attributed to the fact that Helen’s vocal chords were not properly trained prior to her being taught to speak.
• Helen entered Radcliffe College in 1900 and graduated from Radcliffe College in 1904, becoming the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree.
• Helen’s first book “The Story of My Life” which was published in 1903.
• Helen Keller played a leading role in most of the significant political, social, and cultural movements of the 20th century. Throughout her lifetime (1880-1968) she worked unceasingly to improve the lives of people who were blind and deaf.
• The John Milton Society for the Blind was founded in 1928 by Helen Keller to develop an interdenominational ministry that would bring spiritual guidance.
  

IF Helen Keller were born today her life would undoubtedly would be completely different. Her life long dream was to be able to talk, something that she was never really able to master. Today the teaching methods exist that would have helped Helen to realise this dream. How technology that enables blind and deafblind people, like Helen, to communicate directly, and independently, with anybody in the world.

In Helen’s own words:

“The public must learn that the blind man is neither genius nor a freak nor an idiot. He has a mind that can be educated, a hand which can be trained, ambitions which it is right for him to strive to realise, and it is the duty of the public to help him make the best of himself so that he can win light through work.”

John Milton
*An English Poet who lost his sight after he turned forty (1651), and was blind when he wrote his epic poem Paradise Lost, which reflects the inner soul's "Celestial Light" to "see and tell of things invisible to mortal sight."

References
The life of Helen Keller, http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_keller.hcsp

John Milton, http://www.satanic-kindred.org/milton.htm

not just a cell phone

I have been thinking if a phone is not just a phone but also a house key, a personal bank access system, a tracking device. then, what happened?







-thesis thought process

thesis thought

are blind people happy about being blind? do they actually wish there is a way out for them to
"feel" what they can't see?

surrealism??

I have been thinking about how do I tell my story. A quick thought came to my mind while I was scrabbling for ideas.
a door-shape suitcase contain different types of keys. ( does a screwdriver count as a key? ) There will be another door/box/book inside of the suitcase.

my suitcase

Life is full of surprise that you don't know what's gonna happen next. It's like different keys open different doors that you don't know what to expect. my suitcase contains my collection of keys. Keys to open a door, to communicate, to discover.





Lynn H.