[nabs-l] Need some help college issues

Bridget Walker bridgetawalker13 at aol.com
Fri Nov 22 05:26:37 UTC 2013


Hi everyone, 
I have reached a point where I need all the help I can get. First it helps to have some background. My primary disability is blindness due to a TBI. I have another component to my condition which is spastic CP. 
So I am now a junior, an education major, and think I have it all. At least that's how the semester starts. 
I need to know what do I do if due to my secondary disabilities that are not blindness professors either refuse to accommodate me all together or focus on one disability and not the other? 
My next question is in the area of equal access. I am all for advocating for yourself in this area and using whatever you have to get the job done. 
One of my professors uses google sites and although I made her along with DS aware of the accessibility problem I am still required to use the site. I sent everyone the letter Sean sent the list with my explanation but they don't care.
Now we move on to art. I'm taking a sculpture class nice and tactile. The professor refuses to grade me because I'm blind and have CP. I can't see and can't move my hands the way other people do. She said I receive a pass fail for the class and am required to do everything but not for an actual letter grade. She told me at the start I can see powerpoints. Ok no if I read Braille, have a guide dog, and get migraines when I use my eyes I don't think I can see. DS didn't even back me up I had to bring my eye report to the head of the art department to prove my disability. Let's add in the part there is already documentation about my disability at DS. 
Finally we get to math. Let me say I knew math was going to be a challenge. My book is I not accessible on my math lab with jaws 15. The college wanted me to downgrade my screen reader and my IE version so my math lab might work. I tested it with an older version of jaws and windows seven it is not compatible as far spas I know. Bigger point I should not be downgrading my technology for a book. 
Then to have them say what is the big deal? 
We have an embosser on campus. We are lucky. I have Braille as an accommodation but, we need someone to Braille my tests because I can't that's not ok and DS is not trained. DS has brailled before and did well they just won't do it I guess a confidence thing. So I have to take my tests with jaws. Jaws and math are not a good combo. 
I just want to know what do people think of all of this? 
I have met with as many resources on campus to reach a common ground and I get nowhere. 
I have a year and a half left. I don't want it to be like this.
I feel like I take five steps forward and ten steps back. 
Thanks
Bridget 


Sent from my iPad



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