A vision for independence: Colorado Center for the Blind puts students to work

70 percent of blind people are unemployed, but 80 percent of the blind who read Braille have jobs.

By Peter Jones

Like many 21^st century professionals, Chip Johnson uses technology to get him through his workday – a portable computer and an iPhone among them.

“A lot of people use this in a job situation or at school when they need something pretty portable,” Johnson says while demonstrating his small electronic note-taking device. “It’s not as big as carrying a laptop around.”

The well-versed techie could likely operate such computerized equipment with his eyes closed. And he might as well. He’s blind.

Sherry Boduo of Liberia tries her hand at woodworking at the Colorado Center for the Blind in