[nabs-l] school is not accommodating

Sat Jan 21 22:06:01 UTC 2012

Reminds me of a quote from the song Brailleg Signs is Cool to Do: 
"I need to find room 109, but this building has no Braille signs! 
We should give these folks a clue, that Brailleg signs is cool to 
do!"

Chris

"The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight.  The 
real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that 
exists.  If a blind person has the proper training and 
opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a mere physical 
nuisance."
-- Kenneth Jernigan

----- Original Message -----
From: Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:57:50 -0600
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] school is not accommodating

Our college is small, so different instructors may use the same 
room,
so putting the professor's name on the door, isn't an option.
Instead of "Classroom," or "Office," it should have the room 
number, in Braille.
The number is there, in print, so why not in Braille?
Instead of "Classroom," it should say this.
"B104," "C105," etc.
Blessings, Joshua

On 1/20/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
 Humberton,
 Rehab is a joke; remember I'm a continuing ed student; so my 
rehab counselor
 is  concerned about getting me a job with a bachelors degree; 
she won't go
 to meetings with the school; not sure that is a good idea.  I 
mean rehab
 doesn't follow their own regulations of informed choice; that is 
why they
 fight with consumers about services.

 Now, I do want to bring in an advocate; my state president of 
nfb is busy
 and travels a lot.  So I might try a local advocate first.  I 
think I'll ask
 my local independent living center to help.  The centers for 
independent
 living deal with all people with disabilities.  Also I might 
contact my state
 reps in richmond.
 Chap peterson has been to nfb meetings here so he might be 
willing to help
 even though he represents the next district over.  Yes I will 
definitely
 contact my state officials.

 As for braille signs.  Um oh my, you got me started.  While we 
do have braille
 numbers, other important info is not in braille.  The 
professor's nname is
 not brailled! I remember waiting over ten minutes for my 
professor who ran
 late due to parking issues.  Someone finally came along and read 
me the phone
 number on the door! Then I called her.  Then she showed up three 
minutes
 later and appoligized for being late.  Well, I read her name 
since I have
 vision and confirmed I was indeed in the right place! But it 
wasn't easy.
 They could have at least put contrasting letters there for low 
vision
 students!
 Same with other signs.  Uh, gray letters on dark background 
isn't good for
 low vision people.

 Ashley

 -----Original Message-----
 From: Humberto Avila
 Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 3:06 PM
 To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] school is not accommodating

 Hello Ashley and all:

 This is so awful.  I think these experiences are and can always 
occur
 anywhere in this nation with blind students going to college.  
I'm not sure
 if this could be possible but whenever someone has those sad and 
bad
 inaccessible experiences in college, they should:
 1.  talk to the DSS director or dean of students,  and if not 
working,
 2.  they should bring in the VR counselor with the DSS people at 
the college
 and discuss these issues, and if that doesn't work,
 3.  bring in an advocate at the state or local level government 
who can
 explain the ADA and tell them how they are not providing the 
information and
 services to a blind student(s) that should be provided by law, 
and if that
 does not work,
 4.  bring in an advocate from the National Federation of the 
Blind who can
 really chew their butt! Like maybe, the state or chapter 
president and/or
 maybe even more powerful, a national advocate.  And if 
applicable, if the
 school is still not doing the job, he can sue the school on 
behalf of the
 NFB.

 Just my idea on this.  But, in the end, we must stop colleges 
and
 universities from not providing the services like accessible 
textbooks and
 web sites and even well brailled classroom doors.  This is 
completely nuts.
 If we want change, we must take action now.

 -----Original Message-----
 From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
 Of Joshua Lester
 Sent: Friday, January 20, 2012 11:53 AM
 To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
 Subject: Re: [nabs-l] school is not accomodating

 That's sad!
 My community college is awful at accomidating me, as well.
 The Braille signs only say, "Classroom," and "Office," but it 
won't
 say who the instructor is.
 The offices don't even have the employee's names on the door, 
either.
 It may, in Print, but not in Braille!
 The classrooms, I can understand, because different instructors 
may
 use the same room.
 They should, however, put the room number on the door, instead 
of
 "Classroom."
 I've asked my DSO about it, but they won't do anything.
 Blessings, Joshua

 On 1/20/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
 Hi all,

 Just want to vent.  My school doesn't seem very accomodating and 
they're
 the
 largest community college in the commonwealth.  Yo They got over 
five
 campuses and you can read about at www.nvcc.edu.

 I'm just taking further classes to get a writing certificate and 
figured
 extra knowledge will enhance my resume as I look for work.  No 
one's hiring
 so it will be a whwile; might as well learn more.

 First, my disability service office, DSO, does not scan any 
texts.  I am
 still waiting for electronic text; fortunately, a family member 
can read
 meanwhile til I find a reader at school.  If the publisher won't 
give us
 the
 e-book, they likely never will; I mean its been two weeks!

 Second, I am taking that It class as I mentioned before.  The 
instructor
 wanted jaws installed in her office because she needs to show me 
the
 steps.
 Hmm.  Maybe I need a laptop.  But I hate the idea of lugging the 
thing
 around!
 They tell us they don't have enough licenses; um how absurd.  
They need
 lots
 of them.  what if another blind student needs jaws in a 
classroom lab?

 Third, they cannot braille tests; at least they will outsource 
to get it
 brailled though; just seems like a large school would be able to 
braille
 tests!

 Fourth, this new building which holds the student service stuff 
and
 counseling center is very open few halls, few landmarks.  I bet 
its not ADA
 compliant.  I don't know though.  Its certainly confusing for a 
blind
 traveler.  Sighted people get lost until they've been there a 
lot since its
 not laid out well.

 Not to mention the inaccessible website and CD for the IT class 
too.
 Publishers need to get with the program!

 Ashley
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