The skills which blind people learn are often referred to as "alternative techniques." They are neither substitute, nor inferior methods, but simply different ways of doing the same thing sighted people do. For example, blind people read Braille and sighted people read print -- but they both read! Similarly, both blind and sighted people have careers, travel, raise families, participate in civic activities, and although they may use different techniques to accomplish these activities, the end result is still successful.

The Louisiana Center for the Blind teaches many "alternative techniques" including Braille, cane travel, daily living skills, keyboarding and communication skills, computer literacy, job readiness skills, and industrial arts. While training, students have an opportunity to gain experience managing a household and asserting independence by living in their own apartment provided by the Center. Specialized services include college prep, GED, and job placement. Once a person completes training at the Louisiana Center for the Blind, he or she is fully ready to enter employment or to continue educational training using these "skills for success" to compete on an equal basis with sighted counterparts.