Close your eyes for a minute.

Now imagine trying to cross the street at a busy downtown Lawrence intersection, the only thing to guide you being the sound of the cars whizzing by.

A group of four graduate students from Missouri State University were in town Thursday, trying to navigate downtown Lawrence — blindfolded.

Rebecca Munjak, 33, her vision completely obscured, walked cautiously to the edge of Eighth and Massachusetts streets, her white cane encountering a number of obstacles: a concrete planter, a garbage can — or is it a mailbox? she asks.

“It’s really intimidating at first because all of a sudden your vision is just cut off completely,” Munjak said. “You’ve got to rely more on your hearing and your sense of touch.”

The students are all working toward dual certification as teachers of the visually impaired and orientation and mobility specialists, who help blind people learn to navigate their community….

Source for complete article: http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2009/jun/12/blindfolds-teach-empathy-visually-impaired/?city_local