Seeing Beyond Blindness Together!

Visioneers Austria uses a newly developed pedagogy to help blind people to find their freedom of movement and to claim their personal dignity for themselves. Using a variety of therapeutic methods, we show how visual functions of the brain can be developed and used.

Visioneers Austria was initiated by Visioneers, a division of the US nonprofit World Access for the Blind. The founder of World Access for the Blind is Ashoka Fellow and TED Speaker Daniel Kish. One of the Senior Instructor Visioneers, Juan Ruiz, lives in Austria.

In Austria, the Visioneers concept is being expanded.

Many thanks to Ashoka Österreich, Kahane Stiftung, Essl Foundation, U.S. Embassy Vienna and Ketchum Publico , which enables Visioneers Austria.

Visioneers Austria wendet eine neu entwickelte Pädagogik an, die blinden Menschen dabei helfen soll, ihre Bewegungsfreiheit und ihre persönliche Würde zu finden und für sich einzufordern. Wir zeigen, mithilfe verschiedenster therapeutischer Methoden, wie visuelle Funktionen des Gehirns weiterentwickelt und genutzt werden können.

Das Visioneers Austria wurde von Visioneers initiiert, einer Abteilung des US-amerikanischen gemeinnützigen World Access for the Blind. Der Gründer von World Access for the Blind ist der Ashoka-Fellow und TED-Sprecher Daniel Kish. Einer der Haupttrainer der Visioneers, Juan Ruiz, lebt in Österreich.

In Österreich wird das Visioneers Konzept gerade ausgebaut.

Vielen Dank an Ashoka Österreich, Kahane Stiftung, Essl Foundation, U.S. Embassy Vienna und Ketchum Publico die Visioneers Austria ermöglicht.

Visioneers Austria Festival 21st of September Brunnenpassage und am Yppenplatz, Wien. Photo of Daniel Kish and Juan Ruiz standing back to back outdoors.

VISIONEERS FESTIVAL

SEPTEMBER 21, VIENNA

Our newest affiliate, Visioneers Austria, has provided some photos from the recent Family Festival in Vienna: http://www.visioneers.at/visioneers-festival . Experiential exhibits enabled blind, low-vision and sighted participants to learn the rudimentary aspects of blind navigation using all the components that Visioneers integrates into what we call SonarVision.

We’re grateful for the participation of the following organizations: Lillis Ballroom, Tactile Studios, Bundesblindenerziehungsinstitut Wien, discovering hands Österreich, Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs, Blindenverband und Sehbehindertenverband Wien, Niederösterreich, Burgenland, Tanz die Toleranz, Tanz die Toleranz, Tanz die Toleranz, Tanz die Toleranz, Tanz die Toleranz , (Caritas Vienna), SEBUS Schulungseinrichtung für blinde und sehbehinderte Menschen, Barefoot-austria and contrast.

Many thanks to Ashoka Austria, Kahane Foundation, Essl Foundation, and Ketchum Publico. Support also from myAbility, Casinos Austria and Brunnenpassage (Caritas). Thank you!

And, of course, our very special thanks to everyone who came out to participate!!!!

Photos: Rupert Pessl

A montage of 6 photos show participants at the Visioneers Family Festival in Vienna, including Daniel Kish, Juan Ruiz and members of the Austria affiliate. Sighted participants wear a sleep mask to block their vision as they use a perception cane to try to navigate an obstacle course made of tree trunk wedges using a perception cane.

MORE INFORMATION | MEHR ERFAHREN

WE TEACH BLIND PERSONS TO SEE WITH SOUND

When it’s a beautiful day, our students ‘see’ it in a new way.

Our scientifically-proven FlashSonar™ echolocation lights-up the brain’s Visual Cortex – the part normally used for vision – with audible spatial feedback, like flashes of light in the dark lighting-up the surrounding environment.

We operate entirely on donations.

Be the flash of opportunity by donating towards a FlashSonar™ Tuition Scholarship for a blind child, teen or adult, so we can

teach them to

LIGHT-UP THEIR WORLD!

MAKE A PERSONAL DONATION

YOUR GIFT ENABLES SO MUCH!

Our blind instructors with Masters Degrees provide services that are “ahead of the curve” from traditional blindness institutions, such as:

THE PRECIOUS GIFT OF TIME:

Did you know that 90% of a child’s brain is developed before the age of 5? Even some “developed” countries won’t teach blind children orientation, mobility and cane navigation until the age of 7. Do you realize how much developmental time is lost? We teach sonic and tactile awareness as early as possible and even put Perception canes in their hand as early as a year old.