[nabs-l] need help

[Anmol Bhatia]

Joe,
I was not really thinking about internation students when I made my point, but Hina does have a valid point. MMost international students are ellegible for rehab services but thats not the issue. From my understanding rehab is not required by law to pay for college and not not required by law to purchase adaptive technology and with many states facing budget crisis and voc rehab seeing some of their budget also being cut, alot more American students are not getting adaptive technology. So these are the students I am talking about.
Anmol
I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.
Hellen Keller


--- On Sun, 7/18/10, Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com> wrote:

> From: Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] need help
> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Sunday, July 18, 2010, 6:59 PM
> Hina,
> 
> So what happens to these international students when they
> return home?  Are
> there accessible technologies readily available?  It
> would seem almost cruel
> to expose the students to a fully-equipped lab here in the
> States when they
> might be returning to a less than adequate
> environment.  But, more to the
> point, I am not opposed to the availability of screen
> readers, scanners and
> other technology on campus, but I associate this
> availability more with
> maintaining a complete resource repository befitting a
> standard library or
> computer lab more than I would adequate disability services
> in general.  If
> there are any international students who are studying in
> the United States
> who find they do not have adequate technology services to
> get through class,
> send me a note off-list.  I can't promise anything but
> would be willing to
> harass some people.
> 
> Jewel,
> 
> I won't pretend to fully appreciate your situation.  I
> simply can't relate.
> It must be tough, and yet, your having walked me through
> your
> decision-making process almost proves my point, because I
> have to wonder how
> things will unravel when you're ready to get a job. 
> We have a choice about
> where we study.  That is not a privilege so readily
> available when looking
> for a salary.  I know you've got it together, and
> maybe you've got a plan.
> If so, I should take lessons in patience from you.  It
> took me a month and a
> half to find a job in thriving Washington DC after my
> AmeriCorps assignment,
> and this period of time is so insignificant compared to
> some of my friends,
> blind or sighted.  My point here is that in the
> foreseeable future we may
> not have as much flexibility in the job market as we might
> in our scholastic
> pursuits.
> 
> At any rate, I realize I am an army of one here. 
> People's minds are not
> likely to change, but speaking as someone who has now been
> working full-time
> for the past four years, I just want students to understand
> that the job
> market is not as cut and dry as the university
> environment.  In college
> there are appeals and superiors you can pursue to rectify a
> wrong.  There
> are laws and guidelines you can use to support your case
> for accessibility,
> but the ADA does not penetrate the private sector as easily
> as we would
> hope.  "Reasonable accommodations" is something of a
> slippery concept to the
> struggling nonprofit, small business or uninformed
> corporation that could
> just as easily hire the sighted applicant with no special
> needs.  I would
> never advance the notion that the job market is a big scary
> place where
> blind people will never succeed.  There are too many
> examples of people who
> have proven otherwise.  I am saying that
> accessibility, structural or
> academic, on the college campus is temporary.  I am
> saying that your passion
> is greater than your fleeting comfort, that you should
> completely base your
> decision on universities according to your dreams and not a
> superficial
> bubble that will burst the moment you're truly out in the
> real world.
> College is a great time in your life.  If the campus
> happens to boast an
> incredible  system of accessibilities, even better,
> and if doesn't, never
> fear.  You'll be a little more ahead of your peers
> come time for job
> searching.  If anyone on campus, or if any feature of
> the school, is a real
> nuisance to your learning, let us know.  I'll
> personally sign up to kick
> some ass on your behalf.  You think I'm an annoying
> bastard on this list?
> Please.  You ain't seen nothin'.
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> Joe
> 
> "Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up
> their sleeves,
> some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at
> all."--Sam Ewing 
> 
> 
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