[nabs-l] DSB delaying needed equipment

[Joe Orozco]

Hi Jewel,

I see online that North Carolina just started a new fiscal year.  This is
bad, because this is when agencies can afford to lapse a little.  If I were
you, and taking your budget into consideration, this is my personal
recommendation:

1. Take Justin's suggestion and go straight to the director of that field
office.  It's not your job to ease this counselor into her new position.
Your first priority is getting what you need to be ready for school.  Put
your communications to the director in writing.  Say in your first e-mail
that you will follow up via telephone in a few days to talk about what can
be done.  Later, after your phone call, send another e-mail summarizing what
was talked about.  Always keep a written record of your communications.  In
the letter you should give a brief summary of the events to this point, but
I would spend more time listing the equipment you need and a good
justification for why you need them.  This may somewhat minimize the need
for an assessment if you can give concrete reasons for why the products are
required.  Also, rank your products in order of most important.  The Victor
Stream, for example, may be a necessity, but it could probably go near or at
the bottom since your top priority is the ability to take notes in class.

2. Locate the individual or office that handles technology assessments.  The
more people you have inquiring into your case, the better, and even if they
say they need to hear from your counselor, when your counselor calls the
people will be familiar with you and have more of an incentive to act.

3. Talk to your NFB affiliate president.  He or she may know of someone
working in the agency who can look into your case.  The affiliate should
also prove to be a good advocate on your behalf.

4. Locate your nearest Lions Club.  They may be able to step in and help
with the cost of a netbook.  If you can get that, you can use one of the
free or reasonably priced screen readers while you wait for your other
technology to arrive.  The main thing is to get you something for the first
day of class, and I think your Lions Club or Rotary Club should be able to
generate $300 on your behalf.

This is, at least, a start.  I'm in a bit of a rush but can offer more later
if you're still in a bind.  Hopefully others will chime in as well.

Best of luck,

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 

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jewel S.
Sent: Thursday, July 22, 2010 9:06 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabs-l] DSB delaying needed equipment

Dear all,

I am having serious issues with DSB here in North Carolina. I begin
classes August 16, and have been working toward getting some needed
equipment. This equipment is a netbook with JAWS, a refreshable
Braille display, a VictorStream Reader, a Juliette embosser, a
scanner, OpenBook scanning program and Dusxbury (spelling?), and JAWS
for my home computer. I have been working very hard on my side to get
this done in time for classes. However, I was reassigned recently to a
new VR counselor (by new, I mean green...this is her first position).
She did not even know who the assessment person *was*, let alone how
to do an assessment referral, so after I saw one person for review of
my home computer and basic needs, she did nothing with that
information, despite him having stated that I needed an assessment
with a particular computer teacher. It was not until I asked him what
the next step was again that he said that my counselor should have set
up the assessment (when I had talked to him the first time, he had
said that my VR counselor would see the referral sent and I needed to
just wait for the referral to go through).

Now, because of my counselor's delay in getting the referral done, the
paperwork has not even been submitted for my equipment. At first, they
told me it would take two to three weeks to get the equipment. Then
they said one month. Now they are saying that it could take up to two
months!

Classes start August 16, and I do not have any of the equipment I
need. The only method of note-taking I have (other than getting a
notetaker to take notes for me, which I'd rather not) is my slate and
stylus. With my physical problems, I can only use a slate for a few
lines at a time before my wrist and arm begin to hurt very badly, so I
don't see that as a possibility at all. I do not even have a voice
recorder, though I am considering whether I have the funds to purchase
one myself (I am on a very tight budget these days).

I have suggested the solution of renting a laptop until my equipment
comes in. However, my counselor seems to have taken that to mean that
I am willing to buy a used laptop on my own. She has suggested places
to purchase used laptops and said she will look into it also. When I
asked her whether this would take the place of the laptop promised me
by DSB, she didn't answer directly but told me that the laptop I would
purchase would last me throughout my curriculum. But if it's used, how
can she be so sure? And how does she expect me to pay for such a
laptop?

Is this appropriate action on the behlaf of my counselor? SWhat should
I expect to happen? If she is not doing things properly, who should I
bring this up with?

As I said, classes start in a few weeks. I do not have a way to record
the classes, type notes, read my books in class, or complete
worksheets in class. I will basically be stuck relying on other
students to take notes for me, read exercises to me, and will not be
able to participate when the class reads the books. I might as well
not even attend class, for all I will be able to do! From what DSB is
telling me, it will be halfway through the semester before I get any
of my needed equipment. Is the renting of a laptop a reasonable
accommodation while I wait, or should I drop these classes and wait
until next semester? I will not be able to participate appropriately
in class without even a laptop, and my grades will be drastically
effected by this.

Any advice, please?

Yours,
Jewel Shuping
Wake Tech Community College
Raleigh, NC

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