[nabs-l] In person versus online for the summer

[Ashley Bramlett]

Zach,

It sounds like this is your first time at the school. is this right?
It depends on the class; some may be fine online but others, such as health, 
science, and economics may not be.

In terms of blackboard, its mostly accessible. But, I use it and have 
challenges in some areas. I cannot submit assignments in the drop boxes 
since I cannot get to the browse button to click it to  attach a file. Also, 
quizzes and tests pose some challenges because its radio buttons to select 
your answer. You can select your answer with space bar, but jaws tends to 
read the whole question again with your answer, not just your current line 
with your choice. Also, there is no way to see which questions you skipped 
without listening to all choices again. So, I've had to have someone skim 
the test for me for blank questions.

Another concern with online classes is the professors have no clue about 
accessible documents; they will just upload documents in the way they want 
to. Scanned files will not read. Files with a column layout will be a 
problem.

If it’s a class with a lot of reading, you may be okay online; like english 
or history classes.
But if its technical and visual like a science or economics class, I would 
say no.
With these classes, interaction with the professor becomes more necessary 
since you need to understand graphs and other diagrams.

Its up to you. I'd opt for the face to face because you get to see your 
professor and interact with the class and often this helps you learn to be 
in class having discussions.
But I'd say online may be doable, but it really depends on the class

Good luck.

Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: Zachary N. Griego-Dreicer
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2014 12:54 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: [nabs-l] In person versus online for the summer

Good evening, I hope everyone is doing well. I am faced with a difficult 
decision this evening. ... whether or not to go to my university and take 
one class and stay in the dorm for six weeks,  or take the same class 
online. I feel that there are both negative and positive aspects to each of 
the two decisions. Regardless, I will be attending the University I am 
writing about in the fall. A couple advantages that icy to being on campus 
for the six weeks are being able to completely mapped the campus with very 
few people there, and being able to interact with my professor on a more one 
to one basis, including in person, and same holds true  for the Dss office. 
I have been on campus before once. I have also sent an email with my 
accommodation letter to the professor who's class I plan to take if I were 
to take it face-to-face at the University. Some of my family is hesitant to 
allow me to do the six week session, and they would rather see me complete 
the courses online. They say that I would still be able to get to the campus 
a few days before the start of fall semester,  but I feel like I would need 
more time that way I can know the campus, the city I will be residing in, 
and the Dss office staff, among other important things. I have had some 
difficulty with online classes in the past, they were college algebra 
classes that had an online homework component. The staff at the Dss office 
has informed me that online classes through the University I will be 
attending are conducted using blackboard. How accessible, or inaccessible, 
is blackboard? I have an iPhone, a Mac, and a Windows machine.
   Also, if faced with this decision, what would you do (which decision 
would you make), and why would you make that decision? I know in the end it 
will be my decision to make, I would just like suggestions from each of you. 
Thank you in advance for any suggestions you may provide.

Sent from my iPhone 5S Using VoiceOver
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