[nabs-l] the test accomodations

Sat Apr 27 04:00:21 UTC 2013

It is easier if you  have someone who knows the material.  

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Julie McGinnity
Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2013 11:53 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] the test accomodations

Maybe you should go to your professor(like others have suggested) and see
what you can work out.  Even if the professor doesn't want you bringing in
your own reader, you might be able to get a reader from the department who
knows how to read the material.  I would strongly recommend that anyone
using readers get one from the department.  I mean that if you are taking a
biology class for instance, you talk to that department and the disability
services office to use a student from that department as your reader.

Like Arielle and Kaiti, I prefer to use Jaws when taking tests.  It is
faster, and with another student, I always felt judged when taking tests.
Crazy, I know, but I used to be a lot more anxious about tests.

To answer Kaiti, I used readers for a while two years ago when my computer
was sick with a very bad virus.  Other than that, the only thing I used a
reader for was music theory class.  This was before I had the music software
to complete assignments independently.  I had a reader and scribe who would
read assignments and tests to me and write my answers.  This person was a
student the music department found for me.  I also had a reader for my first
semester of German classes at the university level.  She read my tests to
me.  But I found that even with German, it was easier to use jaws.  But in
that case as well, the department found me a reader who could read in
German.

Although I still miss the days when I got all my tests in Braille, being
able to fill out answers and write essay tests on the computer is good
enough.  I think I prefer it because I know that with jaws, I can finish the
test as fast as the other students, so I take the test in class.  That is
really freeing.

On 4/27/13, Littlefield, Tyler <tyler at tysdomain.com> wrote:
>
> of course it sounds like a possible ADA case. And this is why nothing 
> ever gets done. Something happens and everyone screaches "xomg ADA 
> lets sue," and there are people happy to sue everyone because they 
> might've made a funny face and that description of that funny face was 
> not in the ADA manual.
>
> And that was basically my point. If the professor is working with the 
> DSS office to figure out a way for you to take the test and they say 
> no reader and that's what's agreed on between them, then there won't 
> be a reader hired from outside. Ultimately it's up to the professor, 
> but I'm just stating that I can see why there would be issues hiring 
> readers from outside to take tests.
>   On 4/27/2013 9:03 PM, Arielle Silverman wrote:
>> No, a DSS office cannot legislate what you do outside of their office.
>> If you and the professor agree that you will use a reader you hired 
>> yourself, the DSS office cannot step in and veto that arrangement you 
>> worked out with your professor. The DSS office only has authority if 
>> you give it to them by asking to take the test in their office.
>> Hiring your own readers for testing is only a problem if the 
>> professor has an objection to it. Many professors are quite laid-back 
>> about things like that, even if they are technically not quite in 
>> line with school policy.
>>
>> Arielle
>>
>> On 4/26/13, justin williams <justin.williams2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Sounds like a possible ADA case if it gets to far.
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ashley 
>>> Bramlett
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2013 10:21 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] the test accomodations
>>>
>>> Arielle,
>>> oOh, um, this is a community college. I'm finished my BA degree but 
>>> taking classes to further my studies and get a writing certificate. 
>>> The class I need a competent reader for is religion.
>>> No a TA won't work. Also, Its community college.
>>> you make it sound easy. Gee, I do wish I could get my own readers. Gosh.
>>> I
>>> can think of like 20 people who would be competent readers and have 
>>> a clue how to read such a test. But no, they don't allow me to do 
>>> this.
>>>
>>> I do indeed have my own readers for studying and reading texts and 
>>> looking up material and research, but no I cannot bring a reader to 
>>> the exam. Personally, I think this is a legal
>>>
>>> matter and they need to change the policy so you can have the option 
>>> to bring your own competent reader as an accomodation under the ADA. 
>>> Its not fair, not equal access, and can cause one to get a lower 
>>> grade using bad readers.
>>>
>>> Ashley
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Arielle Silverman
>>> Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2013 7:45 PM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] the test accomodations
>>>
>>> You can also ask the professor if the teaching assistant can 
>>> read/scribe your exam, if there is one for the class. Most teaching 
>>> assistants are graduate students or advanced undergraduates in the 
>>> department and should know the material well, and since they're 
>>> trusted employees of the professor, they are trusted not to help you 
>>> cheat. Plus, many TA's have nothing else to do during an exam and 
>>> would otherwise just be sitting around. If the class has no teaching 
>>> assistant, as in a community college, maybe the professor could read 
>>> it for you and scribe your answers during office hours the day 
>>> before the test or some such?
>>> I know that blind students have hired their own readers for testing, 
>>> which allows them to pick people who are competent. Some disability 
>>> services offices frown on this practice because they prefer to hire 
>>> and manage readers themselves, but it's an option that's at least 
>>> worth discussing with your professor, who might not care much.
>>> Arielle
>>>
>>> On 4/27/13, Suzanne Germano <sgermano at asu.edu> wrote:
>>>> I haven't used readers since I am a partial and use cctv but when I 
>>>> had disabled students pay for a chemistry lab aid I insisted the 
>>>> person was a chem major and an A student.
>>>>
>>>> So maybe you could find your readers through the department. And 
>>>> then you interview them by having them read to you.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 3:30 PM, Kirt <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I'm in the middle of the nightmare that is transferring between 
>>>>> colleges, but the college I am leaving almost always provided me 
>>>>> with competent and capable readers. Sure, they might pronounce a 
>>>>> few words incorrectly But they knew how to read out loud.  I hope 
>>>>> I don't run into the same problem you are dealing with right now 
>>>>> and my next college.
>>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>>
>>>>> On Apr 27, 2013, at 11:21 AM, "Ashley Bramlett"
>>>>> <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> As finals approach, I wanted to know what test accomodations you get.
>>>>>> Do
>>>>> you feel they are adaquate and meet your needs?
>>>>>> If you need a reader and person to scribe your answers on a 
>>>>>> scantron,
>>>>> how are they? Are they competent readers?
>>>>>> I'm going through a discriminatory situation now. Most my readers 
>>>>>> were
>>>>> incompetent but I got around that by asking them to speak slower 
>>>>> and repeat things; I mean they could not speak all that clearly 
>>>>> and read fast and spoke to the paper not articulately to me. Many 
>>>>> exams I took with jaws to avoid this; I feel this way is slower 
>>>>> for me and a reader can directly mark my answers on a scantron as 
>>>>> well as go back to questions I missed. If I need a reader scribe I 
>>>>> should be given a competent reader.
>>>>>> I'll tell more about this specific test issue in another message.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Look forward to seeing your responses.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ashley
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>
> --
> Take care,
> Ty
> http://tds-solutions.net
> He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot reason is a fool; 
> he that dares not reason is a slave.
> Sent from my Toaster (tm).
>
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--
Julie McG
National Association of Guide dog Users board member,  National Federation
of the Blind performing arts division secretary, Missouri Association of
Guide dog Users President, and Guiding Eyes for the Blind graduate 2008 "For
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who
believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life."
John 3:16

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