be very resourceful about getting around problems I
encounter.”“I see you are in a wheelchair. How will that affect
your ability to do this job?”
■“The way I look at it is that I bring my own chair. I have
done data entry without a problem for over eight years. If
you check with the people I’ve listed as my references, they
will tell you that I am efficient and accurate and that my
wheelchair does not affect my work or my ability.”
■“The only problem that I have ever experienced in my ten
years of working in this industry is when the aisles are too
narrow. But that is rare in a business environment where
there are buildings that comply with OSHA codes and
standards.”
■“It’s not a problem for me or my performance. Sometimes
people have to get used to my being in a wheelchair, but I
figure that is their problem. Most people tell me after they
get to know me that the wheelchair is so much a part of
me that after a while they don’t even notice there is one.”
“What is the greatest challenge you encounter with
your disability at work?”
■“My biggest challenge is with people getting used to my
being blind. After a while they are amazed at how well I
can get around and how I observe things that they do not.
Once they accept me, they forget that I can’t see what
they can.”
■“People are very reluctant to shake hands with a hook.
When I put my ‘hand’ out to shake hands, some people
draw back. But my attitude soon puts them at ease.
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