[nabs-l] Some Questions For A Friend

Sat Aug 27 23:31:36 UTC 2011

Hi Everyone:

Thanks so much for all the helpful responses both on and fof list.

My friend talked to someone and they gave her some ideas on how to
solve her issues. She thinks these ideas will work and so she will not
need to go for more training.

I told her about the suggestions for using Windows live mail. I
believe she can make it work and have it put into her accomodations to
send and reply to her emails to her professors though Gmail.

Again, thanks so much for all the help and information.

Kerri

On 8/27/11, bookwormahb at earthlink.net <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Kerri,
> Sorry to hear your friend is frustrated. I'm glad she asked your advice
> rather than slipping through the crack and possibly failing school.
> However, without knowing what skills she  lacks, its hard to suggest a
> course of action.
> I agree with Bridgit.  Assess the situation.  What blindness skills are they
> and how long would it take to learn them?
> Are the skills actually blindness related: travel, computer,  and braille?
> Perhaps they stem from other issues more academic or coping with a new
> environment. Maybe its time management. Maybe its lack of getting accessible
> handouts or accomodations with a professor; in that case, that is  more of
> an advocacy skill. If books are the issue, remember to telll her about
> bookshare, learning ally, and of course the idea of hiring your own readers.
>
> As to your question: can she attend
> another training center for more skills? That really depends. As Bridgit
> said, since she attended a program already, they may be reluctant to
> shoulder the cost again. Did she actually graduate the center? How long was
> she there?
> She may want to think of staying in state rather than fight a battle for a
> whole program. If its just a few classes she needs, why fight the battle to
> attend a program when she really needs just a few areas?
> She needs to consider what she wants to do and if she wants to expend energy
> justifying going out of state for training.
>
> Some other ideas are:
> 1. Have a field rehab teacher or other teacher come to her home and teach
> that skill. In my state they provide this, but not frequently is the issue.
> O&M is taught in your community and any daily living task like labeling,
> braille, housekeeping, etc is taught by a rehab teacher. At least where I am
> they will send a technology tutor to you to teach any computer or notetaker
> skills.
> 2. Seek out other blindness nonprofits for teaching. For instance, the
> braille institute in CA; a lighthouse for the blind; in NC there is
> something called the Metrolina association for the blind. If I knew the
> state, I may be able to suggest other organizations to help.
> 3. Seek out other individuals who are blind to help. Maybe from the NFB
> chapter. Is she a member of her student division? If they are active,
> getting a friend from that group may help. They can chat on the phone about
> any computer questions and some daily living tasks.
> 4. If the skills needed are related to braille and academics, hadley school
> for the blind, a distance education program, has basic academic classes and
> braille. They have basic english skills like learning how to spell and
> punctuate sentences, to the advanced english classes of literature that you
> would find in a freshman college class. They do the same for math. There is
> also diagnostic tests if you do not know what class you would fit in.
> Go to www.hadley.edu to see their offerings; also they have webinars on a
> variety of topics from accessible technology to daily living.
> 5. A source for some technology training, if you pay for it, is Carroll
> center for the blind's Carrol Tech online classes. All there classes are for
> windows systems and I think geared to the 2007 office applications. But
> check the website and call them with any questions before signing up. The
> site is www.carrolltech.org.
> I have not taken a hadley class or done carroll tech, but plan to do both
> and see how it goes. Hadley has some english classes I'd like to take. I
> already have my degree, but I just want to keep up my reading and analytical
> skills.
>
> Don't forget about school resources for help with academics or related
> skills like time management or study skills. The school probably has a
> writing center, tutoring center, academic advisors and professors always
> have office hours.
>
> HTH,
> Ashley
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kerri Kosten
> Sent: Friday, August 26, 2011 8:21 PM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: [nabs-l] Some Questions For A Friend
>
> Hi All:
>
> I have a friend who is not on this list who is really struggling with
> a few issues. Since she is not on this list she has asked me to post
> some questions for her.
>
> Her school uses Windows Live for their email. She says this is flash
> based and she can't seem to get it to work with Jaws. Does anyone know
> or have any ideas of how to get windows live email to work with Jaws
> or is it totally inaccessible?
>
> Next, my friend attended an NFB center (it was not LCB.) They were
> changing some staff members around and because of this among other
> things she was not taught some skills. Because of this she is having a
> hard time with college and is very frustrated. Would it be possible
> for her to go back to training and attend one of the other two NFB
> training centers or one that is similar?
>
> Thanks so much!
> Kerri
>
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