[nabs-l] Voc Rehab request denied

Thu Apr 11 04:12:37 UTC 2013

The Indiana eye doctor sent a detailed 4-5 page letter directly to them. I
included it again in my appeal.

On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 8:20 PM, Kaiti Shelton
<crazy4clarinet104 at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hi,
>
> What also might be beneficial is if you can get someone from the
> company in Indiana to substantiate your claims.  I've run into issues
> like what Sophie described where my Rehab councelor originally planned
> to purchase something that was less expensive but not as practical for
> me.  While my email justifying my request for the specific thing I
> needed was not paid particular attention, testimonials on the web
> about the low quality of the product they were going to buy me really
> helped seal my case.  Granted, other factors played into it as well
> like since a lot of schools buy these cheaper, less sturdy models the
> ones I didn't want were out of stock and all that was left was what I
> consider the good kind, but the reviews did play a role I think.  It
> may be worth a shot, especially if you can speak with someone who has
> done an exam for you from there in the past.
>
> On 4/10/13, Suzanne Germano <sgermano at asu.edu> wrote:
> > Thank you I will contact Bob.
> >
> > I submitted a 15 page document with my appeal. I explained how each of
> > their doctors would try to fit me with colored lenses. I contacted each
> of
> > them and included the actual emails from them. The eye doctor in Indiana
> > sent them a 4-5 page document on what they do which I included again in
> my
> > appeal.
> >
> > I will be submitted a request for ZoomText with speech for both the mac
> and
> > Windows next week. I am a Software Engineering major so on the computer
> all
> > the time. Before school mac zoom was enough but it does not follow the
> > insertion point just the mouse pointer. I will also be doing an
> internship
> > this summer and need to have the right technology. The more successful my
> > internships the better chance I have of finding employment upon
> graduation.
> >
> >
> > On Wed, Apr 10, 2013 at 6:17 PM, Arielle Silverman <
> > Arielle.Silverman at asu.edu> wrote:
> >
> >> VR will pay for an out-of-state vendor if you can prove to them that
> >> the vendor is better than what you can get in-state. If you haven't
> >> already, you should write a letter describing why this vendor is
> >> superior, and send it to your counselor and to his supervisor. You
> >> should also contact Bob Kresmer in AZ to see if he can help you with
> >> your appeal. His phone number is:
> >> 520-733-5894
> >> or
> >> krezguy at cox.net
> >> He is the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Arizona
> >> and he knows who is at the top in Arizona VR. If you think getting a
> >> prescription from this place will make a difference in your education,
> >> you should pursue it.
> >> As I mentioned in a previous email, I also think that learning the
> >> basics of JAWS, or another screen reader, would benefit you a lot in
> >> your studies and your everyday life. Have you talked with VR at all
> >> about getting screen reading software?
> >> Best of luck,
> >> Arielle
> >>
> >> On 4/10/13, Robert William Kingett <kingettr at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > I'm sorry to say that there isn't much that you can do. For contact
> >> > lenses you'll have to pursue that avenue yourself. Even though a
> >> > rehabilitation agency for the blind is supposed to provide you with
> >> > tools, or resources that you'll be able to do your work successfully
> in
> >> > school or elsewhere, most agencies will only either a, go with what
> >> > they
> >> > frequently do, like for example getting clients jaws for windows even
> >> > if
> >> > they prefer window eyes. Why? Because that agency is used to getting
> >> > JAWS and the like. Or, B, go with a cheap solution. Understandable,
> but
> >> > unacceptable. Also, from my personal experience. Counselors seem to
> >> > like
> >> > newly blind people because they haven’t yet formed educated opinions
> >> > about what's better, for them, in the adaptive technology market.
> Those
> >> > kind of blind people are much easier to serve because they will take
> >> > anything without question and don’t need anything anymore complex.
> >> > Also,
> >> > even though this is going on a tangent, they tend to lean just a bit
> >> > more appreciatively to simple outcomes. What I mean by this is they
> >> > like
> >> > the clients with simple needs that can be resolved once and that's it
> >> > and don't need ongoing service, upgrades, etc. these are just my
> >> > personal opinions and don't reflect the agencies as a whole because
> >> > there's some people who work in the field who are real gems, and they
> >> > understand the client, not just understand their immediate needs and
> >> > treat them with a pacifier until later when the client realizes a
> >> > permanent, yet very expensive solution, or the like. Every person is
> >> > different. As I have said, these are just some of the things that I,
> >> > myself, personally, have noticed and they don't reflect every agency
> or
> >> > every social worker. I’d quietly remind your counselor, not to mention
> >> > her entire staff that this is a facility, a dedicated team, that
> >> > provides vocational rehabilitation. VR accomplishes this by providing
> >> > support and services to promote the acquisition of skills and
> >> > experiential learning that will support the consumer in meeting
> his/her
> >> > independent living and vocational goals as well as the technology to
> >> > achieve and acquire such learning, or accommodations, not technology,
> >> > sorry. I didn't have my coffee yet. Remember, they are there to
> >> > provide,
> >> > you, as a client, specific barrier removal including assistive
> >> > technology or computer training, as well as Braille, use of low-vision
> >> > devises for job related functions, and/or other blindness related
> skill
> >> > training as well as employment, etc., any kind of training or the
> >> > tools/technology to acquire the training or job. Provision of
> >> > rehabilitation counseling, as well as access to services and resources
> >> > to support adjustment to blindness to achieve independence is given:
> >> > This refers to the intellectual, emotional, and social adjustment to
> >> > blindness and visual impairment as well as the provision of
> techniques,
> >> > tools, and equipment which will enable the consumer to achieve
> >> > independent living and travel functioning. You need those lenses to be
> >> > able to do what you need to do and to function independently, use that
> >> > word. Independently. That word will make a lot of people listen. Apart
> >> > from that, I’d say tell their board staff. Provide a logical case with
> >> > fact sheets and all this to present your case saying why you need
> these
> >> > lenses. Make a clear case, not an emotion filled one. That isn't what
> >> > you need and that won’t get you heard at all. present your case,
> first,
> >> > to your counselor, and if she says no again, tell her, in plain
> >> > English,
> >> > no metaphors, no if’s, ands, or buts, tell her that you’re going to go
> >> > up the chain of command because you were denied technology to allow
> you
> >> > to function independently. Do this with her supervisor. Tell her the
> >> > same thing. Tell her word for word. Don't change anything. Don't add
> >> > anything or remove anything. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Yes, if you have
> >> > to, contact the president. I hope that this helps you.
> >> >
> >> >
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> >> >
> >>
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>
> --
> Kaiti
>
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