[Blindmath] Where Can I Get an Education in STEM Document Accessibility?

[Zachary Mason]

Hello: 

 

I am a blind master's student at Mississippi State University in the
department of animal dairy science. It didn't take very long for me to find
out that on top of mastering my own studies, I have to do a lot of
advocating and be persistent to get my accommodations. MSU's disability's
office, as I imagine many other universities are, was completely unprepared
to handle the level and volume of technical materials including course books
and material for a STEM graduate student. It's made me realize I will have
to be more self-sufficient in terms of obtaining accessible format documents
to make a career in research or education worth-while to me. 

 

I've spoken to my state's vocational rehabilitation about getting training
in accessible document transcription, specifically for STEM documents. After
being interviewed by the technical consultant, this request is being
processed. I wondered if anyone on this list could help me begin to plan
what kind of resources (courses, manuals, software, etc.), I need to get
started. I'm starting at just about ground zero. 

 

What I'm hoping to be able to do is take either an electronic or a hard copy
printed science article or college/professional level STEM text book, to
either an electronic format (something readable with a screen reader), or
mixed English grade II, UEB, and Nemeth Braille independently without, or
with minimal sighted assistance. I don't expect to be able to begin a
business transcribing for people myself, but I would like to gain an
appreciation for how people do that. 

 

 

Kind regards,

 

Zachary Mason