[nabs-l] Placement Exams

Mon Apr 25 01:14:53 UTC 2011

I know I already responded to this, but I will bring up the point of
picking your battles. Like I said, if MSU has a protocol that they
follow for students with disabilities, then that's great. But I was
the first student UNCW had had since they started doing placement
exams on the computer that could not use the computer interface.
Sometimes in situations when it would be more independent and
beneficial to your future to learn the interface and find an
accessible way to do it, it isn't the most efficient option. For
example, the program used for the placement exams was not accessible,
and since I only had to take them once, and since the math exam was
set during an hour and a half block during the incredibly busy 2 day
orientation, we felt that a reader would be the best solution.

Cindy

On 4/24/11, Julie McGinnity <kaybaycar at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi.
>
> I would definitely request a reader.  I had to take a foreign language
> placement test, and I had to use jaws.  This was hard because jaws
> doesn't always understand that he should be speaking another language.
>  Also, the test was multiple choice, and I could not use jaws to
> select the answers.  I have no idea why.  If it is that kind of test,
> extra time and a reader will be accomidations you should have.
>
> These tests are rarely, if ever accessible, so just try to get the
> accomidations you normally use in your math classes, and do your best.
> Good luck!
>
> On 4/23/11, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hey, when I was an incoming freshman, the test was inaccessible and on
>> the computer. I would see if the disabilities office already has a way
>> of accommidating blind students on placement exams, and suggest your
>> ideas if they don't.
>>
>> Don't stress about it too much. It isn't possible to fail. It is a
>> placement exam, and the worst that will happen is that you might place
>> into college algebra instead of calc or something, but I totally
>> understand that you want to do well and skip unnecessary classes if
>> you can. It might be nice to request a reader. I always found readers
>> more helpful for math subjects.
>>
>> I'm not sure if you have to take any others, but my foreign language
>> placement test was online as well, but we could take it on our own
>> time. It was also inaccessible, but my high school French teacher
>> agreed to read it to me, so maybe you could do something like that.
>>
>> Cindy
>>
>> On 4/23/11, bookwormahb at earthlink.net <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> Gordyn,
>>> When I entered college I took a math placement test.  Back then in 2002,
>>> it
>>> was regular paper and pencil.
>>> How I did it was I just used my vision. A reader read the questions to me
>>> and I used paper and a dark marker to write out and work the questions.
>>> I think totally blind students were permitted to have a brailler to do
>>> the
>>> problems.
>>> But  now a days they have computer placement tests.
>>> Your college should accommodate you with extra time and other
>>> accomodations.
>>> If its on the computer, jaws may not read it right.  You might want to
>>> have
>>> a reader read out the questions.  If you use nemeth braille,
>>> then transcribe the questions to braille and answer the problems.  Tell
>>> the
>>> reader what answer you got.
>>> If it was a hard copy test, they could make tactile graphs.  But again
>>> computers present more accessibility challenges because many software
>>> programs are not compatable to jaws.
>>> Bring something like tape to make tactile graphs. Your reader can
>>> describe
>>> the graphs and tables and tactially draw the graphs if needed.
>>>
>>> Good luck.
>>> Ashley
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Jordyn Castor
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 23, 2011 8:29 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: [nabs-l] Placement Exams
>>>
>>> Hey NABS,
>>> I was accepted into a college and am required to take a math placement
>>> exam. If I register with the DSS office before I take the exam, can I
>>> request extra time or something? Will colleges make accommodations on
>>> those types of exams? If I'm not allotted extra time, any tips on taking
>>> this math exam not about the math itself but about like using the system?
>>> Thanks!
>>> Jordyn
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Cindy Bennett
>> UNC Wilmington Psychology major
>>
>> clb5590 at gmail.com
>> 828.989.5383
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/kaybaycar%40gmail.com
>>
>
>
> --
> Julie McG
>  Lindbergh High School class of 2009, participating member in Opera
> Theater's Artist in Training Program, and proud graduate of Guiding
> Eyes for the Blind
>
> "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that
> everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal
> life."
> John 3:16
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/clb5590%40gmail.com
>

-- 
Cindy Bennett
UNC Wilmington Psychology major

clb5590 at gmail.com
828.989.5383