The word around the agency, at the blind workshop was that there were computers coming into each department that were to be adapted for the visually impaired.
Our director brought us together, in our department, to show us a new computer that talked, right near his desk.
He told us that this would benefit the employees, as the higher technology has advanced in the agency.
The problem is that no one here knows how to use it yet.
When the meeting was over, and he dismissed everyone, I went up to him, to inform him that I have experience with the computer, and the jaws program.
He said, “Really? How much do you know?”
I asked him if I could sit down to show him. He said, “Sure.”
I created a notepad document and wrote a couple of lines. Then I navigated many Jaws commands keystrokes, to show him how Jaws works.
There was a main menu installed on the computer, so I showed him that Jaws worked with that program.
I had also done self-training in “Lotus, 123,” which has now turned into Excel, so I showed him how I was able to navigate this program with Jaws.
He was very interested in my skills, so he gave me some projects to do on the computer.
Some of the supervisors had visual impairments, so I started making spreadsheets for each department, to better keep track of, and to use as a resource to enter data into the company’s payroll program.
Then, one day, the director approached me and asked if I would be interested in training the department supervisors on how to use the computers in their departments.
I said, “Certainly I will.”
One of my trainees was another director, that was also blind. He had an accessible computer setup in his office, but he refused training every time I offered.
I never was able to train him, as he did not intend to learn the technology in the first place.
However he learned of my technology skills from other staff members, and he knew of a new position opened at the agency for production. The job was a “Scheduling manager”, and he helped to arrange my new job with my director.
This position was to keep track of inventory and to plan what materials the company needs to purchase, according to the history of selling each individual product.
My director called me into his office, to offer me the position. He said, “Dan, you will keep the same hours, and you will also keep an hourly rate, with a raise, and you will have your own office, the one next to my office.”
My spirit jumped for joy!
I quickly thought back about the so-called “Ten-year bondage”, that God may just have designed for my personal growth period, to gain my new computer skills before this event and I marveled at that thought.
In my new office, I spent hours and hours setting up my own spreadsheets, for each product. After a time, a representative from the original inventory program worked with me, setting up another program, Access, to tie into the main inventory program. Therefore, I could work with their main database to utilize what was coming in, and what was going out, with precise, real-time numbers.
I began intense self-training with my tutor resources in Access, to then have my Excel spreadsheets automatically update the current numbers, and to give projections of how much product to purchase, due to the history of the last month’s sales.
My job was going well, and I was enjoying it. However, ever since I had learned to share my experience, strength, and hope with others, I had always felt that I wanted to teach other visually impaired people computer technology.
Even though this current position was challenging and somewhat fulfilling, my dream soon became, to be a “Technology Instructor for the blind.”
The spreadsheets that I had built were updating on their own. I did continuous studying to improve them and add new products and such. I would also sometimes go to other departments to help guide them with their computers.
However, I wanted to start helping the visually impaired co-workers in the agency, as there were many without any computer technology.
When I inquired about a teaching position, they informed me that there were no open jobs like that for me at this time.
After being a Scheduling manager for many years, it was time to update to newer computers. The company had purchased a new stock of computers, for every department, and all staff members.
I asked my director what the company was going to do with the old ones. He said, “We will probably throw them away Dan.”
With my mind racing, I asked him, “Is it possible for me to get them, so that I could configure them for other blind people?” We talked about it for a while, and he said, “All I can do is ask Dan, I’ll see what I can do.”
I was thinking that I could wipe off the current information, then load fresh programs on them, then give it to visually impaired people who cannot afford them, as blind people do not make a lot of money.
This way, with basic training, they would also dig in and learn by themselves, after initial training.
Before the meeting on this matter, I wrote a letter to express my thoughts on this proposal, for him to take to the staff meeting. In this chapter, I have shortened it, as it was too long for this book.
Technology Bridge
To: “Staff Members”
Purpose: A proposal to start a program to serve visually impaired persons, or blind people who are not eligible for vocational rehabilitation with computer equipment and training that has accessible software for an independent living means.
Dear “Staff Members,”
My name is Dan Malone. I am blind. I started as an employee of this agency about 14 years ago after recovering from an accident that took my sight years earlier.
In my time of adjustment, I have been striving for independence in my unsighted world, as I once had full vision.
I have learned to use computers, starting out with DOS with a screen reader called JAWS. I am now using WINDOWS '98 with Jaws for WINDOWS.
In my personal life, I am as independently functional as possible with the technology that exists today. With computers and the capability of them talking, I can communicate with others more efficiently. I can also read without having to use Braille or e-mail. I can also do my own banking, and even shop online, among many other things.
In my years with this company, you have afforded me opportunities in advancement that have proved gains for the company and myself.
I have always strived to implement our technology to serve both the blind and the sighted.
I have a vision.
The computer world is fast changing, and innovations can become outdated quickly. With the newer, faster systems distributed throughout the world now, many systems are sitting idle, some working, some in need have repair, but the worth has changed for the use that they had.
This may be a matter of perspective. A system put aside may be a tool of independence for someone else.
There are many computers, I have perceived, that may be acquired in different ways that are no longer useful for their intended purpose but may be very valuable to many others.
If I could, I would like to be a part of bridging a gap between adaptive equipment and people who may benefit from these products.
May I propose a program to bring together computers and/or adaptive equipment, with hands-on experience for people that might benefit from such a program?
I strongly feel that if people have the opportunity of hands-on experience, they will work together with us and see a need to fill our mission statement.
Sincerely, Dan Malone
My director came back to my office and told me, “We don’t see a problem with its Dan.”
Well, time passed, the newer computers had been installed and programmed. The older computers were being stacked on skids upstairs.
I was led to believe that the older computers were going to me, even to the point of arranging to have a truck come to work, to pick them up for me.
I went into my director’s office, to ask, “When can I pick up the computers?” He said, “Dan, they are gone, we had a salvage company come in to pick them up.”
I felt stunned, and betrayed.
I felt bad for the people that I may have been able to help. It was a vision I had at the time, but it did not happen.
I also did not know, at this time, that God had other plans for me.