[nabs-l] meeting results and what to dotogetaworkingcomputerforcollege

Joshua Lester jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu
Sat Jul 21 09:07:23 UTC 2012


Great post!
I'd also recommend the CAP programs.
CAP stands for "Client Assistance Program."
Thanks, Joshua

On 7/21/12, William Grussenmeyer <wdg31415 at gmail.com> wrote:
> You sound stressed and afraid of your future.  You sound afraid to be
> on your own.  You can always walk away from rehab.  The most they can
> do is ask yyou to return any items they purchased for you.  College is
> certainly much less stressful than work and doesn't take as much time.
>  When I went blind I didn't feel ready to get a job.  I ignored
> department of rehab and enrolled in college as a 2nd bachelors, which
> really annoyed them because I all ready had a bachelors.  I took only
> two or three classes each semester to get myself to become better at
> jaws and living blind.  I finally did get a job the summer after my
> second year.  But it was a job that I found for myself in the area I
> was studying.  I barely made their 5 year or whatever cut off point
> where they close the case as a failure and ask for your things back.
> I was also dealing with the trauma of losing my vision.  That really
> affected my rehab classes learning jaws and braille, etc.  Sometimes,
> I couldn't sleep all night because I was terrified and then would pass
> out from exhaustion, sleep all day and miss my classes at society for
> the blind.
>   My university I go to has been very good in providing me with
> notetakers, readers, research assistance, alternative media
> specialist, etc.
>   You don't need to be proficient at computers or work with them wel.
> One of the students I know is terrible with Jaws and windows.  The
> school simply provides her with a research assistant to help with
> downloading and looking for articles and skimming them to make sure
> its what she wants.
>   Another student I know who goes there has bipolar but she is not
> blind.  She still goes to the department of rehab.  Her sisters and
> mother also have bipolar.  Its a struggle for them.  She even dropped
> out of one college and is now going to the college I am at.
>   In the end it all comes down to finding people who will help you.  I
> hate asking people for help and I was jealous of other people who are
> sighted and don't need help, but one day last semester when I was
> stressed out the department chair told me that when she went to
> graduate school things became so difficult she had to ask for a lot of
> help many times from professors and other students and she has no
> disability of any kind.  Learning from others, getting help from
> others, and so forth is what everyone does to succeed.
>   Department of rehab doesn't seem all that willing to help you do
> what you want.  You should look else where -- at colleges with high
> amounts of services, FASFA loans, any friends or family, etc.
>
> --Bill
>
>
> On 7/21/12, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Maybe I should probably tell the counselors that.  That and the
>> fact that the job assessment may not be adequate.
>> I don't believe that my ex had to go through that stuff, so there
>> you go.  I'm thinking it would be nice if people actually did
>> help me with research.  Thanks for the resources.
>> Beth
>>
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> Date sent: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 23:14:08 -0600
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to
>> dotogetaworkingcomputerforcollege
>>
>> Beth,
>> University libraries have accessible databases where you can
>> download
>> articles in PDF or HTML for free if you are a student. There are
>> also
>> free ways to convert a PDF doc to a Word doc, such as sending it
>> to
>> convert at robobraille.org
>> If you decide to go back to school, I would be glad to help you
>> with
>> the research stuff and I'm sure others will as well. You can tell
>> rehab that you will work with blind mentors to learn how to
>> handle the
>> research issues that caused you to have to drop out the first
>> time.
>> "Mentoring" is a big buzzword in rehab, I am told.
>> Best,
>> Arielle
>>
>> On 7/20/12, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> wrote:
>>  Sounds to me like you need Blio!
>>  Blessings, Joshua
>>
>>  On 7/20/12, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>>  Brandon,
>>  	I have difficulties with papers and research and stuff.
>>  Research and papers are harder for me to do because books
>>  are out off the question and articles like on JSTOR and
>>  other databases are in PDF format and can't be downloaded
>>  without a steep price.  Whuaft in the world!  That's all
>>  that got on my nerves in college.
>>  Beth
>>
>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: "Brandon Keith Biggs" <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
>>  To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>  Date sent: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 20:40:49 -0700
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to
>>  dotogetaworkingcomputerfor college
>>
>>  Hello,
>>  That's exactly the goal of rehab. To get you employed. Even if
>>  it's at a
>>  sheltered workshop. If you work for 6 months, they will close
>>  your case.
>>  Then they get refunded 75% of your cost from the federal
>>  government.
>>  That's why you have to be on top of everything, or they will
>> push
>>  you
>>  around.
>>  May I ask, what difficulties were you having before in college?
>>  Thanks,
>>
>>  Brandon Keith Biggs
>>  -----Original Message-----
>>  From: Beth
>>  Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 6:54 PM
>>  To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to do
>>  togetaworkingcomputerfor college
>>
>>  I could, and that's another idea.  I'd go to the library and
>> play
>>  with a Mac and do the on screen thingies with Voiceover.  I
>> might
>>  talk to Metro's access office sometime Monday.  I think I'll do
>>  all that you suggest, and I'll probably have to do it while
>>  working.  But the thing is that Rehab would rather tesft my
>>  employability skills becauase they're just interested in getting
>>  money out of me.  I don't believe they want to see me succeed in
>>  the employment I dream about.  They don't think I can handle it
>>  because of the bipolar, and if it weren't for mental issues, I'd
>>  have the Mac in hand and I'd be writing this email on one.  I'd
>>  probablyget one-to-one training.
>>  Beth
>>
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: Arielle Silverman <arielle71 at gmail.com
>>  To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>  Date sent: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:47:07 -0600
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to do to
>>  getaworkingcomputerfor college
>>
>>  Beth, Can you apply for a Pell grant? I don't think you need
>>  rehab to do this.
>>  As for the "proficiency" claims, doesn't someone in rehab
>>  understand
>>  that you can become more proficient at a technology through
>>  practice
>>  and training? Proficiency isn't something like blonde hair you
>>  either
>>  have or don't have when you're born; it's something you can
>>  easily
>>  build up on.
>>  Since the Mac is accessible out of the box, could you possibly
>> go
>>  to a
>>  library, or back to CCB, or somewhere else where there is a
>>  public
>>  Mac, and teach yourself the basics of VoiceOver using the
>>  on-screen
>>  tutorials?
>>  Arielle
>>
>>  On 7/20/12, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com> wrote:
>>  Julie won't help.  They won't get me a Mac because of
>>  proficiency.  They don't realize it's maintenance that's keeping
>>  me from wanting a PC so much.
>>  Beth
>>
>>    ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: "RJ Sandefur" <joltingjacksandefur at gmail.com
>>  To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>  Date sent: Fri, 20 Jul 2012 17:40:33 -0400
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to do to get
>>  aworkingcomputerfor college
>>
>>  Beth, What were their reasons for not getting you a mac? Mabie
>>  you should
>>  talk to July Deeden. RJ
>>  ----- Original Message -----
>>  From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com
>>  To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>  <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>  Sent: Friday, July 20, 2012 5:09 PM
>>  Subject: Re: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to do to get a
>>  workingcomputerfor college
>>
>>
>>
>>    On 7/20/2012 12:10 PM, Ignasi Cambra wrote:
>>    I really don't know how the system works in the US so I'm
>> sorry
>>  if I
>>    sound completely ignorant, but why do you care so much about
>>  what
>>    rehab wants you to do? If you want to go to college can't you
>>  apply to
>>    schools just like anyone else?
>>
>>    Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>    On Jul 20, 2012, at 8:37 AM, Beth <thebluesisloose at gmail.com
>>  wrote:
>>
>>    Thanks for the link even.  They don't want me to have a Mac
>>  because I'm
>>    "not proficient."  They are interpreting even a few keystrokes
>>  as "no
>>    proficiency."  I don't know what to say or do at this point
>>  because I
>>    want to succeed in college and thi stupid work assessment
>>  training, but
>>    whaut they did to me, I don't know whether it should be
>> pointed
>>  out or
>>    avenged.
>>    Beth
>>
>>    ----- Original Message -----
>>    From: "Brandon Keith Biggs" <brandonkeithbiggs at gmail.com
>>    To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>    <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>    Date sent: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 22:21:14 -0700
>>    Subject: Re: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to do to get a
>>    workingcomputerfor college
>>
>>    Hello,
>>    If you graduated high school and got excepted into college,
>> you
>>  should
>>    just
>>    go and tell them that you're going and you need this, this and
>>  this in
>>    order
>>    to be independent. You need to have a technology assessment by
>>  a
>>    professional blind technology person and it's your right to
>> get
>>  that
>>    assessment. If your counselor doesn't get you the meeting with
>>  the
>>    adaptive
>>    technology professionals, talk to their supervisor. Let the
>>  supervisor
>>    know
>>    that your rehab counselor is keeping you from succeeding in
>>  college and
>>    if
>>    they want you to pass your classes, you have got to have a
>>  computer.
>>    Because
>>    you aren't someone with time to worry about a technology
>>  failure, you
>>    really
>>    need an apple computer that will be dependable and has the
>> best
>>  support
>>    in
>>    the world.
>>    http://www.apple.com/why-mac/
>>    This is why you need a mac, and you have not had the
>> experience
>>  you want
>>    in
>>    college with your PC, so because you want the best, you need
>> to
>>  have a
>>    Mac.
>>    First rule of rehab, they want you to do and show what's best
>>  for you.
>>    They
>>    will only guide you if you let them. you must be sure, un
>>  moving
>>  and
>>    firm
>>    that this is what you want and there is nothing better you can
>>  have,
>>    even
>>    though there may be things you're uncertain about. Confidence
>>  is
>>  the key
>>    and
>>    independence is the way.
>>    Thanks,
>>
>>    Brandon Keith Biggs
>>    -----Original Message-----
>>    From: Beth
>>    Sent: Thursday, July 19, 2012 10:01 PM
>>    To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>    Subject: [nabs-l] meeting results and what to do to get a
>>  working
>>    computerfor college
>>
>>    Hi.  The meeting with rehab was unsuuccessful in doing
>> anything
>>    but made me aware of stuff.  They don't want me to have a Mac
>>    because they don't feel I should have one.  I understand they
>>    don't buy macs in Colorado, but my concern about third party
>>  apps
>>    fell on deaf ears.  They want me to do a "situational
>>  assessment
>>    and work adjustment training."  They found an agency for me to
>>    work at, and they're forcing me to go to mental health group
>>  and
>>    counseling therapies.  Honestly, I'm getting tired of this.  I
>>    didn't think a mental issue would cause the employment to be
>>  the
>>    top priority.  But I can't exactly go along with Rehab and
>>  their
>>    plans.  They pretty much coerced me into doing the work
>>    adjustment training, saying that I was "putting the cart
>> before
>>    the horse" with college and all.  But most sighted normal
>>  people
>>    go to college and get a major.  What am I supposed to do?
>>    Thanks,
>>    Beth
>>
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