[Blindmath] Questions about accommodations

Wed Jun 2 13:21:27 UTC 2010

Not sure assistance with cooking and batheing would fall into this discussion. The way I understand it, the question deals with support for math i.e. a reader/notetaker, not personal care which is what assistance with cooking and batheing would fall under. 
Also, I'd think that the blind student in question would be able to travel independently. I wouldn't use the "what if the building needs to be evacuated" as an excuse to not provide math support. After all, if the power goes out and a building needs to be vacated, those of you dependent on light will really wish you'd someone who is blind to help. 
Again, don't mix personal care and math support As I've stated before, readers and transcribers are not there to baby-sit. 

-----Original Message-----
From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Michael Whapples
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 5:56 PM
To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Questions about accommodations

Hello,
Bernard has gone into much more detail than I would plan to.

As far as it goes I think a request for support with study materials/lab 
work, etc is generally accepted as reasonable. I am totally blind and 
when I did my physics degree I received help with diagrams, 
notetaking/having lecture notes prepared in Braille, lab assistance 
(they seemed to feel letting me loose with certain things like liquid 
nitrogen, darts, etc was not a good idea, but there were other things 
they helped me with such as taking readings from displays on equipment, 
etc). I am now doing a more desk based post graduate course with the 
open university and I still have some assistance with diagrams and bits 
of course material which is inaccessible (eg. the underline notation 
they are using in PDF documents, which my screen reader software is 
unable to detect).

As for the matter of pay, I think it can vary so much. The important 
thing is that whoever provides the help should at least be able to 
understand the material even if they aren't specialist in the particular 
topic of the course module. As an example when I was at university 
studying my physics degree we ask about in the post graduates within the 
department, sometimes asking in the maths department as well. I am not 
fully sure what the university decided on paying them, but I seem to 
have a memory from somewhere that it may have been around £8 to £9 per 
hour (This was back between 2003 and 2007, sorry for the UK currency but 
that's what we tend to work in over in the UK). As a comparison, 
typically the open university go to an agency for this type of support 
(I think the agency charge about £24 per hour) but we were unsure 
whether the agency could provide someone with sufficient technical 
skills for supporting me on my course, so the result is that one of the 
tutors for another module within the same subject has agreed to take on 
the work. Their pay is higher than that for those supporting me when I 
did my degree, but considering the distributed nature of the open 
university they do have a significant amount of travel to provide face 
to face support (it still comes in cheaper than the agency, just).

Just to fill in on the other parts I noticed Bernard raise, I am totally 
blind but within a known environment I am able to move around with no 
issue (I have good cane skills) so evacuating a building was never a 
concern once I knew the layout of the building.

As far as things outside study (cooking/washing/etc) as I think Bernard 
said doesn't come into it here in the UK, that sort of support should 
come from other places (the local social services, generally). However 
things like knowing the way around campus, how to get from home to the 
department and back, etc, may be even a little of the local area are 
things which may be worth considering.

Michael Whapples
On 06/01/2010 08:50 PM, Bernard M Diaz wrote:
> Hi Corinne,
>
> In the UK this is a vexed issue because of cost, and who
> pays - compounded, if the student is not a national.
>
> At my Higher Education institution (University), for my subject
> (Computer Science), I've suggested that a "helper" (in UK parlance)
> is vital, preferably with a science and also mathematics background.
> This has been fully accepted in our two cases ...
>
> Payment is hourly, and we've established that between 20-30 hours
> a week during term is required - the rate is marginally above what
> we pay module student demonstrators.  The duties include coming with
> the student to lectures and some seminars and tutorials, taking
> notes and providing transcriptions of these in digital form that
> can be voiced easily (i.e. copes with symbols in mathematical
> expressions, and generates tactile and/or verbal digital descriptions
> of diagrams/figures).  Also this person helps with problems encountered
> using library and other facilities. [This is in addition to the
> facilities that the student is expected to have: recording devices
> etc, full copy of lecture notes in a variety of digital formats,
> voicing soft/hardware, page to digital/voice scanning, etc].
>
> We've determined that a team doing this is just possible, but not
> desirable, and for the students on the module - the time required
> too onerous (however we encourage group and team working).  We also
> have departmental back-up(2 hrs a week) available if necessary to
> help with difficult areas (essential the diagrams associated with
> "design", and with complex mathematical/logic areas).
>
> Our modules (4 each semester) consist approximately 12 hours of
> lecture contact time/week, approx. 4-8 contact tutorial and practical
> time, and an assumption that the remaining time (up to a notional
> 40 hrs) a week, is for preparation and private extra study. Our
> semesters are 12 weeks.
>
> I'm working on the basis here of a completely blind student
> that has excellent white cane/guide dog skills, who is completely
> able independently, to look after themselves (e.g. cooking,
> washing, etc). We have no remit to help there at all ...
> (The white cane/guide dog skills arise because of a safety
> requirement that a student is able to exit any building they
> are in, in emergencies, unaided).
>
> All this is in addition to all staff (we include 
> clerical/management/technical and all academic staff) being alert
> to the student's requirements and being aware of their, and the
> Institutions legal obligations ...
>
> I suspect this does not help, as it is subject specific, but it
> may provide a discussion ballpark ...
>
> Kind regards - Bernard Diaz.
>
> Lankford, Corinne wrote:
>> Hi everyone!
>>
>> We currently have an incoming Graduate student for the fall semester 
>> which he has requested a research assistant.  Is this a common 
>> accommodation provided?  If so, how many hours and what is the usual 
>> rate?  I plan to check with the library to see if they have someone 
>> on staff that can provide this assistance.  Any opinions, advices, 
>> tip, etc. is greatly appreciated!
>>
>> Bests, Corinne
>>
>> Corinne Lankford EAD Disability Services Specialist New office title 
>> name:  "Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Disability 
>> Services Department" Vanderbilt University
>>
>> GPS Address:        110 21st Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37203 Office 
>> Location:   Baker Building, Ste. 108 Internal Mail:       PMB 401809
>>  Office Number:    615-322-4705 Fax Number:        615-343-0671 EAD 
>> Website:       www.vanderbilt.edu/ead
>>
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