[Blindmath] What to do when a US college DS office refuses to provide braille when requested

[Richard Baldwin]

Does the law specify a time interval within which the materials must be
provided following the request?

Dick Baldwin

On Tue, Jul 19, 2011 at 12:24 PM, Susan Jolly <easjolly at ix.netcom.com>wrote:

> I've contacted two experts in US disability rights and here is what I
> found. Federal law applies to all colleges and universities except for
> private religious schools that accept NO federal money, not even grants,
> student loans, etc.
>
> First, if you are a braille reader and want braille textbooks and
> materials, that is your right.
>
> Second, typically you need to purchase a print copy of your textbook and
> give it to the DS office.  This is to cover the cost of using a copyrighted
> book.  This is because publishers typically require this and in any case,
> accessible materials shouldn't cost less than standard materials
>
> (Note that in Califorrnia, the law requires colleges to use texts from
> publishers that will provide e-format texts,  preferably braille-ready ones.
> Any college should as a matter of course contact the publisher to see if the
> text is available in e-format for blind people as that would save the DS
> office money and time.  However, this is the responsibility of the office,
> not the student.)
>
> Third, if the DS office says they will only provide audio when you request
> braille, you need to get this in writing.  There are two reasons.  One is
> that the DS office may rethink its position if you ask for it in writing.
> (If necessary, ask a sighted person to double check that the document they
> give you says what it should.) Second, it will help the Department of
> Justice (DOJ) if you move forward with a legal complaint.
>
> Fourth, call your regional ADA Center. There are 10 regional Centers listed
> on this page with their phone numbers and websites.  The states in each
> region are given in print as well as being shown on a map.  They should tell
> you what to do next. Or they may contact the college directly themselves.
> http://www.adata.org/Static/**ContactUs.aspx<http://www.adata.org/Static/ContactUs.aspx>
>
> Fifth, if for some reason your regional ADA Center hasn't solved your
> problem, contact the DOJ ADA Technical Assistance Program.
> http://www.ada.gov/taprog.htm
>
> Note that you can always call your regional ADA Center for advice even if
> you don't have written documentation of the DS office's refusal to provide
> braille.
>
> Best wishes,
> Susan
>
> ______________________________**_________________
> Blindmath mailing list
> Blindmath at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/**listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org<http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindmath_nfbnet.org>
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Blindmath:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/**options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/**
> baldwin%40dickbaldwin.com<http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blindmath_nfbnet.org/baldwin%40dickbaldwin.com>
>



-- 
Richard G. Baldwin (Dick Baldwin)
Home of Baldwin's on-line Java Tutorials
http://www.DickBaldwin.com

Professor of Computer Information Technology
Austin Community College
(512) 223-4758
mailto:Baldwin at DickBaldwin.com
http://www.austincc.edu/baldwin/