[nabs-l] Reasonable technology requests from Rehab and some other college questions

[Cindy Bennett]

I totally agree about the roommate thing. In my opinion, having a
single room just is a way to single yourself out. Some people have a
single room because of all of the space their equipment takes up or
because they have a guide dog. This did not apply to me, because I did
not see the point of personally owning a braille embosser, so I did
not need more space than the average person. So, I would definitely
encourage roommates, and borrowing equipment from your school that you
might not need super often.

I'm not sure how housing works. I don't remember specifying that I am
blind on my housing contract, but I think they figured things out when
I requested braille signage in my dorm. I don't know. When I
registered my disability with the disabilities office, it might have
been transfered there, or there might have been a question about
ability in case of emergencies or something, and I might have
indicated it. I don't remember. So, I am really glad that I visited
the housing office, because they were planning to put me on the first
floor. There are a lot of conveniences to living on said floor, I
enjoy the first floor now, but I had applied to live on a leadership
and service floor, the 4th floor, and they were going to ignore this
request and put me on the first floor because of my blindness. But it
took a pretty short talk with housing for them to understand that I
did not need the first floor. So maybe talking to the office just to
make sure they have not made assumptions such as giving you the
handicap accessible room, intentionally placing you on the first
floor, a nicer upperclassmen dorm, or in a single room hasn't
happened.

Cindy

On 4/24/11, Jordyn Castor <jordyn2493 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi again guys!
> I'm going to college in the fall, as I already said yesterday. This is
> why I have so many questions! I just want to be sure I'm doing
> everything right, and what better way to do this then asking other blind
> students? :) So, thanks for all your great advice on everything!
> My other question is, what are reasonable things to ask Rehab for in the
> way of technology?
> I'm thinking a laptop, 40 cell braille display, Window Eyes, and a
> printer scanner combo thinggy with software like OpenBook or Kurzweil. I
> don't know if I'd get a notetaker though as these are super expensive.
> lol Any suggestions or other things you'd ask for? What are you all
> using as far as technology in college?
> My college also has a place where I can, I think, borrow technology like
> an embosser or Braille Display. Should I use that rather than asking
> rehab for some of the things like the display and the printer? I think
> it would be awesome to have a printer in my dorm though lol!
> Oh, speaking of dorms, do most of you have a roommate or a single room?
> A lot of my blind friends seem to have single rooms because of the
> expensive technology, but, I want a roommate, I think. lol Thoughts?
> Anyway, I'll stop rambling! :)
> Thanks again,
> Jordyn
>
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-- 
Cindy Bennett
UNC Wilmington Psychology major

clb5590 at gmail.com
828.989.5383