[nabs-l] Consultation regarding an Academic Mission Needed

[Hamid Hamraz]

Dear all,

I am going to start a computer science graduate program in US in the upcoming fall. However, this is my first academic mission after I got visually impaired. The standard load for a semester would be 3 graduate courses. On the other hand, as you know, we blinds and VI folks are remarkably slower in CS-related assignments like math, programming, etc.

Now, I greatly appreciate it if experienced people in the list offer me suggestions regarding the course load, etc. Besides, I should order VI-related equipment for my workplace well in advance. So far I've thought about these:

1. A large LCD (+25 inch)
2. Headphone
3. Scanner
4. Printer
5. Whiteboard (on which I can read single letters and digits or very large figures/diagrams)
6. Software (JAWS and Open Book to which I am very well accustomed)
7. An ergonomic keyboard with many extra function keys

Please note that I can not read Braille effectively (mostly because of some very little tremor in my hands and fingers).

If anybody has some other things to add to the list, I'd be glad to hear.

Look forward to hearing back both your academic and non-academic advices.

Many thanks,

Hamid