,,guide ,,dogs ,,= ,! ,,d1f-bl 
,0,}9 ,dunn1 ,l1d} ,dogs =! ,bl 

,t5 ye>s ago1 ,l1d} ,dogs =! ,bl 2gan an (ficial program = s}v+ ! d1f / bl -mun;y4  ,al? p}sons ) bo? he>+ & visual impair;ts _h be5 t1m$ ) dog guides 2f1 ? 0 ! f/ "t a s*ool design$ a program specific,y = ? special ne$4  

,9 #aihe1 ,b>b>a ,dekay >riv$ at ,l1d} ,dog4  ,%e 0 flu5t 9 ,,asl 7,am}ican ,sign ,language7 & _h lip r1d+ abil;y4  ,ev5 ?|< ,l1d} ,dog _h n e/abli%$ xs =mal program at t "t1 ,b>b>a su3ess;lly tra9$ )a dog guide4  ,%e al h&$ a book 6an 9/ructor1 ,kei? ,mc,gregor1 & urg$ hm 6r1d & le>n4  ,! book 0 ab sign language4  ,al? x wd 2 a numb} ( ye>s 2f h} advice 0 tak51 ! nudge f ,b>b>a spoke volumes4  

,"! >e di6}5t 3di;ns t cause a p}son 6h bo? an audi# & visual impair;t4  ,"o situ,n is ! o3urr;e (a trauma4  ,"! c 2 mishaps caus+ bo? a loss ( he>+ & ( si<t - "s"ts two di6}5t 9cid5ts4  ,! o!r1 : ! major;y ( |r d1f / bl /ud5ts at ,l1d} ,dog >e a6lict$ )1 is ,u%} ,syndrome4  ,"! >e ?ree types ( ,u%} ,syndrome1 ,type #a is diagnos$ :5 a p}son is born prof.dly d1f & ) ret9itis pig;tosa1 : usu,y re>s xf 9 e>ly *ildhood or te5s4  ,) symptoms s* z ~!1 _m (! 9dividuals ) ,type #a ,u%}s -municate ) ,,asl1 al? 2f ,,asl 0 ! -mon language1 "! 0 a lot ( f+} spell+ & lip r1d+6  ,b>b>a's message 6,kei? 0 simple-- le>n ~! basics 6bett} help yr /ud5ts & s}ve m (! -mun;y 9 ne$4

,9 #aihi1 ,ka?le5 ,spe> graduat$ ) h} f/ ,l1d} ,dog4  ,%e 2came |r f/ graduate f ! program specific,y design$ =! d1f / bl -mun;y4  ,al? ! program 0 n fully develop$ at ! "t1 ,kei? _h he$$ ! advice ( ,b>b>a ,dekay4  ,kei? _h le>n$ sign language4  

,z "t w5t on1 al? we 7 a# 6(f} ~! a4i;nal s}vices1 x 2came evid5t t m $uc,n 0 ne$$ 6keep up )! dem&4  ,attempt+ 6ju7le 8 posi;n at ,l1d} ,dog1 home life1 classes1 & home"w1 ,kei? 0 /ret*$ too ?94  ,! deci.n 0 made 6put ! program on hold :ile ,kei? 3c5trat$ on s*ool4  

,af a ye> ( /udy & practice1 ,kei? _h a*iev$ flu5cy4  ,feel+ m 3fid5t 9 ,l1d} ,dog's abilities 6e6ectively s}ve ! d1f / bl -mun;y1 ! program resum$4  ,a ll m ?an t5 ye>s lat}1 ,l1d} ,dog has su3ess;lly mat*$ & graduat$ #da /ud5t / dog t1ms4  

,_m "ts :5 expla9+ ! program 6! g5}al public1 we >e ask$ h{ is x possi# 6-municate1 n only 9/ructor 6/ud5t1 b /ud5t 6dog8  ,!y >e puzzl$ z 6h{ y use sign language )a 8bl0 p}son4  ,? gives u a trem5d|s opportun;y 6$ucate1 n only on ! d1f / bl program1 b ab visual impair;ts 9 g5}al4  ,x all{s u ! op5+ we ne$ 6illu/rate ! di6};e 2t total & "pial bl;s4  ,9dividuals1 :o >e n expos$ 6p}sons )a visual 4abil;y1 h ll "u/&+ (! v>iety ( ?+s t c a6ect a p}son's vi.n4  

,)a numb} ( 41ses caus+ or 3tribut+ 6bl;s1 los+ vi.n on a gradual progres.n (t5 l1ves ! p}son ) usa# acu;y1 yet leg,y bl4  ,? c al 2 ! case :5 a trauma o3urs4  ,a /ud5t once told u1 2f rcvg _! dog1 !y 7 us+ _! cane 6travel 6_! bus /op4  ,once on ! bus1 a g5tleman fold$ 8 cane1 put on r1d+ glasses1 & pull$ | a newspap}4  ,he *uckl$ z he -municat$ ! looks ( 2wild};t he rcvd4  

,ano!r graduate travel+ ) 8 ,l1d} ,dog 5c.t}$ "s?+ simil> :5 9 a public place4  ,a man _h ask$ 6pet 8 dog & :5 8 reque/ 0 decl9$1 ! man proce$$ 6d s anyway4  ,he 0 v />tl$ :5 ! graduate a4ress$ hm & rep1t$ 8 reque/ =! man 6n 4tract 8 "w+ dog4  ,agitat$1 ! man grum#d1 8,y don't ne$ t dog4  ,y c see me40   

,=tunately1 ! ignor.e ( o!rs op5s ! door 6an $uc,nal opportun;y4  ,expla9+ ! di6};e 2t total & "pial bl;s br+s p "o /ep clos} 6"u/&+ div}s;y 9 society4  ,ev5 )9 ! visu,y impair$ -mun;y1 "! >e _m degrees ( si<t loss4  

,_m "ts a /ud5t >riv+ at ,l1d} ,dog :o is bo? he>+ & vi.n impair$ is a6lict$ ) ,u%}s ,type #a4  ,?us1 _m ( !m h rema9+ c5tral acu;y4  ,-munic,n 2t ,kei? &! 9dividual is d"o ) ,,asl4  ,he is c>e;l 6/ay )9 ! rema9+ visual field (! 9dividual4  ,if li<t does n p}mit tradi;nal use ( ,,asl1 ! /ud5t & 9/ructor w rev}t 6tactile sign+4 

,h{ does "s"o ) re/rict$ vi.n & he>+ cross an 9t}sec;n safely8 ,? is a -mon "q4  ,"! >e ?ree prim>y me?ods us$4  ,if ! p}son has "s si<t rema9+1 !y utilize x 6_! fulle/ & rely on x 6assi/ !m ) _! /reet cross+s4  ,if no vi.n rema9s "! >e two -mon alt}natives4  ,! f/ is 6play a 3t9u|s loop record+ )a tape play}4  ,! record+ 9dicates ! p}son is d1f & bl & ne$s "s"o 6tap !m :5 x is safe 6cross4  ,! second *oice is 6c>ry 9dex c>ds al}t+ o!r p$e/rians 6! same4  

,al? all |r l1d} dogs >e tra9$ us+ voice & h& -m&s1 ! dog 2+ prep>$ 6l1d a p}son :o is bo? d1f & bl "ks "s m9imal sign language4  ,? tra9$ guide m/ rely on h& signals z his/h} ma9 9dicator z ! direc;n ! p}son wants 6take4  ,! use ( signs = 8sit0 & 8/ay0 >e a few (! important -m&s t ! dog ne$s 6"k & recognize4  ,9 mo/ cases "! is n m* v}bal 9t}ac;n 2t ! /ud5t &! animal )9 ! "w+ 5viron;t4  

,:5 |r t1ms ( 9/ructors select ! dogs !y w tra9 =! f|r 6six mon? p}iod1 !y r>ely h _! class s*$ule t f> ah1d4  ,!y "w )a v>iety ( dogs s z ! class !y w 2 "w+ ) is =m$1 !y c mat* ne$s m specific,y4 ,! mat*+ (a dog )a /ud5t :o is bo? d1f & bl takes "s a4i;nal plann+4  ,kei? "ks :o 8 /ud5ts w 2 soon}4  ,! mat*+ is a ll m precise 2c (! a4i;nal 3sid},ns t m/ 2 att5d$ 6)! /ud5ts4  ,_m "ts he is h& pick+ ! dog 6be/ suit t "picul> 9dividual4   ,! major;y (! "t a p}sonal 9t}view has be5 3duct$ )! d1f/bl /ud5t prior 6_! >rival 6,l1d} ,dog4  ,? h&s on 9=m,n assi/s )a special assess;t ( ne$s4  

,al? all ! programs at ,l1d} ,dog >e valua# & excep;nal 9 _! makeup1 ! organiz,n is especi,y pr|d 6(f} ! d1f / bl program4  ,! special att5;n 6detail1 ! extra ef=ts put 9 0/aff & /ud5t make x "o (! mo/ rew>d+ "ps ( |r s*ool4  

,l1d} ,dogs =! ,bl w 3t9ue 6s}ve ! visu,y impair$ &! he>+/visu,y impair$ -mun;y = _m ye>s 6-e4  ,! s*ool is curr5tly 9 ! process ( exp&+ ? m* ne$$ program4  ,"o /ep tak5 9 t direc;n 0 ! a4i;n ( ,tracy ,s*umann 6|r /aff4  ,tracy is flu5t 9 ,,asl & has a degree 9 ,ori5t,n & ,mobil;y4  ,z ,tracy -pletes h} ?ree-ye> appr5tice%ip1 %e w "w ) /ud5ts "u ,kei?'s sup}vi.n4  ,ev5tu,y1 ) h} help1 ,l1d} ,dog w 9cr1se ! numb} ( /ud5ts t c 2 s}v$ ea* ye> 9 ? "o (a k9d program4