October is Blindness Awareness Month. Approximately 180 million people worldwide suffer from blindness or some form of visual impairment. The Florida Division of Blind Services (DBS) is honoring this observance with the release of its See Different public service announcement (PSA).

 

The See Different initiative showcases how individuals with visual disabilities, like their sighted peers, possess qualities and capabilities to contribute to and succeed in the classroom, workforce and their communities. This past year, DBS hosted several interactive presentations at K-12 schools, universities and businesses. During these sessions, the See Different team demonstrated how people with visual impairments participate in daily living activities. The activities within these forums included personal testimonials, success stories and simulated experiences (i.e., activities with a blindfold or vision simulator).

 

The DBS Communications team has created the following PSA in an effort to effectively change perceptions on a wide scale and communicate values in a message that will move citizens to think and act differently. The goal is to have everyone to see individuals with visual disabilities – like everyone else – and recognize the benefits of the full inclusion for this segment of our society. By seeing this value, people will be motivated to act upon their changed perceptions. The individuals featured in the video are all current or former DBS clients.

 

We hope you enjoy!

 

See Different: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i2Oi0BaK_M&feature=youtu.be

See Different (with audio descriptions): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ENZlh86DsI&feature=youtu.be