Imagine venturing across a high-ropes course for the first time, balancing on cables two stories above the ground. Now imagine doing it if you were blind.
A high-ropes course is just one of many challenges on tap this summer for students participating in the Summer Academy, a program for high school students who are blind or visually impaired that will be held at Penn State for the first time this summer. The three-week program runs from July 13-Aug. 1 and is free for qualifying students. Students will live in Penn State dorm rooms.
The program is aimed at strengthening students’ independence and self-advocacy skills to help them succeed in college or technical school. “We want to prepare them so they can go to college and go to work,” said David De Notaris, director of the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services in the state Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, which runs the program.
Workshops and a technology showcase will introduce students to an array of assistive technologies, from talking clocks and kitchen timers to talking software and screen readers. Students will receive iPads or mini iPads with apps designed specifically for users with visual loss.