[Blindmath] Questions about accommodations

[Michael Whapples]

I have to say I am really getting quite fed up with this. While I don't 
want to seem like a moderator, I feel this has gone and missed the point 
and is probably just causing argument where its not needed.

Firstly my point was trying to get at, supporting the student within 
their study by assisting them access course materials and course 
activities is fully reasonable and here in the UK universities and 
colleges should provide this support. Only get out would be if it is 
unreasonable (eg. safety issues like I wasn't allowed to handle certain 
things in the lab, however having someone there to handle those 
materials for me and help know what is happening was a reasonable 
adjustment).

Then I went on to say that while the student may have personal 
requirements (we will leave out exactly what this might necessarily be 
as it can differ from person to person and we shouldn't prejudge (NOTE 
TO Susan: sometimes in the UK we refer to doing the laundry as "doing 
the washing", you stick clothes in the washing machine for washing, so 
that form of "washing" may be something a blind person may want help 
with at any age, how are you meant to see if that stain where you spilt 
a drink on your clothes has come out in the wash. As for cooking, well 
may be they didn't get the best training in how to do that safely, 
because of that they lack confidence and so up to this point may never 
have moved out of their parents home, may be surprising but I think 
possible)) but this is something beyond what would be reasonable to ask 
from the university/college. Here in the UK that support would be 
arranged by social services (the local government team responsible for 
these matters). You would have these needs regardless of whether you 
study, so certainly aren't academic support needs. Some seem to think 
that it was suggested such needs should be met by the educational 
institution, I certainly didn't say that and I think the only one who 
made a case for it came in quite late on.

Finally we will move to the area which is possibly a bit murky. Support 
with getting about. I think the best thing to say is that if the student 
can make a reasonable case why this support is needed for them to be 
able to study (IE. knowing how to get to lectures seems reasonable) then 
it probably should be provided. Beyond that it becomes optional but a 
certain amount of support with initial orientation may be useful (eg. 
when I went to university, I was in a completely new city, unable to see 
any sign posts, etc, the university agreed to allow the orientation to 
cover a few local services like the local shops and the rail station as 
well as the campus, it probably helped having the extra as it meant I 
felt more comfortable socially and could get on with personal matters, 
rather than worrying about how to find somewhere get food, being able to 
get home to see family, etc without loosing time to being lost, so 
meaning I could just concentrate on the studying). So in this bit there 
may be somethings which really should be provided and may be there are 
some things which aren't required to be provided but should the 
university intend to make the students life there a good experience then 
they may wish to go that little further.

As I said at the beginning, I think a discussion down this line really 
missed the point of the question, I am only writing this to make what I 
said clear as I feel people got the wrong end of the stick on what I 
said. I only raised issues of the matters which aren't directly 
supporting the study as Bernard had mentioned them and I felt it was 
worth briefly stating my experience in this matter and to indicate how 
far reasonable requests for support from the university may go and at 
what point it really has nothing to do with the university.

I would hope now we go back to discussing matters which really belong on 
this list, but...

Michael Whapples
On 06/03/2010 07:29 PM, Susan Mooney wrote:
> Oh, come on, Jose!  You really can't believe that someone who is simply blind--who has no other physical disability preventing him or her from using his/her arms and legs and no mental disability preventing him/her from being able to perform daily living skills--should not be expected to be able to function on his/her own other than being able to study, pass exams, write papers, and read and that this individual would need assistance with things like bathing and eating?  Come on!!  We're talking graduate school, beyond the age of ... what? 23 years old? Evaluating individuals is one thing. Not being able to eat and bathe after more than 23 years on the planet is a whole 'nutha ball game!
>
> SM
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