[nabs-l] Introduction

Dezman Jackson jackson.dezman at gmail.com
Sat Jan 3 00:09:22 UTC 2009


Yes, unfortunately since training materials that cater to assistive 
technology are hard to come by, and since people using the same tools we use 
to access the computer aren't as ubiquious as with our sighted friends, I 
find often that user manuals that come with the products and just a simple 
desire to explore and play around with the technology is key to becoming 
proficient.

Dezman
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jason Mandarino" <blind.subscriber at gmail.com>
To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 02, 2009 3:20 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Introduction


> Not that I have anything against nerds, but that is exactly my point.
> Although I am sure there are less technology oriented means of living 
> life,
> I would like to help advocate an easier way of utilizing the technology 
> that
> is available.
>
> Some of this is a matter of pulling resources and construct other things
> into a user friendly format. I had the privilege to volunteer with a high
> school transition program this past summer, and the students had no
> technology training of their respective software or devices. One young 
> girl
> that was a joy to work with, had both Jaws and a Braille note, but only 
> new
> basic navigation and computer processing concepts on the laptop, and had a
> Braille note that apparently no one could get online. Although I felt that
> the students learned a decent amount in the eight weeks I had them, there 
> is
> still plenty more that I would love to share in order to feel confident of
> their college experience.
>
> I get that there are a lot of resources and more so that the computer
> experience with a blind user is completely different than that of our
> sighted peers. An old room mate of mine was a Computer Science major, and 
> he
> had a very difficult time grasping how I understood and maneuvered my
> computer. Although he was a huge help in other areas, as we tackled
> questions of accessibility with wireless routers, ftp servers, and we are
> currently working on web servers. I sold my old room mate to the vision of
> making normal software accessible, and him and I are both occasionally
> writing Google as they seem to be a great advocate. Then again I am 
> spending
> endless hours of my own time learning this stuff, and unfortunately leave
> many blind peers behind. Trying to figure out some bridges to teach and
> offer at least some tools for people to learn would be great. Especially 
> as
> I am self taught, and do not know of many resources for the blind.
>
> Mandarino,
>
> P.S
>
> Has anyone else noticed that this list serve is a little slow? Not to
> mention that I received an email in which someone was requesting more
> information about a Maryland get together, but it took fifteen minutes for
> me to get the original post that he apparently already responded to.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
> Behalf
> Of Beth
> Sent: Friday, January 02, 2009 2:55 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Introduction
>
> I'm also a self-taught computer nerd, but no matter what, I'll never
> be as nerdy as the men in my family. lol
> Beth
>
> On 1/2/09, Jason Mandarino <blind.subscriber at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hey Albert,
>>
>> I am intrigued by a part of your message to Jessica. You were asking if
>> whether she was thinking about specializing in Braille or computer
> training.
>> Outside of college programs such as the Commission for the Blind, I have
>> never met a computer instructor for the visually impaired. Are there such
>> things for grade school students that are visually impaired?
>>
>> I only ask for technology was quite the fight for me in grade school, and
>> the RESA system hat provided the Brail and mobility instructors were not
>> very helpful in the technology arena. I had to find alternative means to
>> obtain what I wanted, but that also meant having to train myself as well.
>>
>> The technology learning curve can be steep, and I would like to see more
>> access to practical resources for upcoming youth. I did not find the
>> computer classes that my public high school offered to be any help, and
>> unless you have the interest to invest endless hours into learning new
>> software or hardware, you will be ineffective compared to your sighted
>> peers.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>> Mandarino
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf
>> of Albert Yoo
>> Sent: Friday, January 02, 2009 1:46 PM
>> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Introduction
>>
>>
>> Jessica would you have to do student teaching? Would there be help to
> write
>> on the braille writer or teach the blind students the computer? What 
>> grade
>> would you teach? Would you be a vision teacher tvi is what I think they
> are
>> called? Teacher of the visually impaired> From: jess28 at samobile.net> To:
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org> Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 09:39:00 -0500> Subject: Re:
>> [nabs-l] Introduction> > Ashley,> Yes I want to teach. I'm going to get 
>> my
>> bachelors degree and then my > masters degree in Teacher of the Blind and
>> Visually Impaired. I don't > currently read Braille but I'm going to
>> hopefully be learning grade two > through the Hadley School for the
> Blind.>
>>> -- > Jess> Jessica Trask> > Email services provided by the System Access
>> Mobile Network. Visit > www.serotek.com to learn more about accessibility
>> anywhere.> > _______________________________________________> nabs-l
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>> list> nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
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