[nabs-l] One can live without disability services and others

[Michael D Ausbun]

Hello Gerardo:
	First, I’d like to say that your experience is admirable and definitely worthwhile and one that ought to be heard; after all, as you pointed out, a large majority of blind individuals belief or seem to believe: if there is no disability service, then failure is inevitable.
	With that said, however, I must point out a few things which are necessary, in order for something like your story to work successfully.
1)	A student must have family support. In some cases, especially when an individual is not an only child, family members may not always be able or willing to assist a student to the degree which is necessary (I.E. reading papers, recording books etc.). If there is zero family support, the chance of success is exponentially decreases, for both sited folks and blind.
2)	A student must have professor(s) trust. I also have had occasions where professors have given me the exam to take home or to do away from my disability center. In my case, it was either because the professor did not want to deal with the Disability services office or they did not trust the disability services office (professors are interesting creatures). In either case, if a professor gives you the exam like this, they have to trust that you will not cheat in some way shape or form. Many students, if they do not advocate well, never reach this level of trust with their instructors.
3)	Technology rocks, that is, if you manage to get your hands on technology which can help you succeed, then you may not need a disability center; however, most students don’t have the technology, which you stated, so most need the DSS in order to succeed in this case.
Of course, there are other ways for individuals to do things without the disability services getting involved; for instance, I always request my books from bookshare, so I don’t have to worry about the disability center not getting them to me on time. I think though, the key fact is that the disability center provides students with a safety blanket. You don’t have to advocate as much nor do you have to stress as much. If you go through a disability services center, then nine times out of ten they assist you in shouldering your burden. This, for a lot of people, can and probably does, act as relief.
	I hope I addressed your concerns adequately.
Respectfully,
Michael

________________________________________
From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Gerardo Corripio via nabs-l [nabs-l at nfbnet.org]
Sent: Monday, December 15, 2014 1:57 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: [nabs-l] One can live without disability services and others

  HI guys
It's interesting how you've guys talked about how the world comes
crashing down when the Disability service in the college doesn't Braille
out tests, make books available etc., so I wonder how do you think I
managed in a country where disability services aren't heard of or known?
By talking with the teachers, suggesting techniques for instance at
first, they allowed me to take the tests home, and have my parents read
me the tests and i'd answer on the computer and print them out, turning
them to the teachers the next day as if it were homework; as the
semesters wore on, the teachers graduated to seeing them in the
classroom in a time when my classmates were out eating lunch or other
activities, and orally test me; another time, I installed Jaws on the
college's computer and I'd go and take the test there with the teacher
in that she'd read me the questions, and I'd type in the answers,
printing it out afterwards, generally before my classmates took the test
in the classroom, but can you believe when the tech guys did computer
maintainance, they erased my copy of Jaws?
Books and other written assignments? During the first semester or so, my
parents mostly, but also from time to time other family members,
recorded the chapters on cassettes, to which I'd listen, and take notes
on an old Toshiba Laptop running Keysoft my parents had bought while in
the States; as the second semester ended, however, I guess I was lucky
because the university donated for my use, a PC with kurzweil1000 and a
scanner, to which I afterwards put on Jaws and did all my assignments on
there; they also donated me a NoteTaker, the Braille Lite 2000 for
taking notes etc; as I say again, maybe it was luck, because I've
contacted other college students, and they only dream of having these
technologies! I guess it's one of the advantages of having gone to a
private college, and not a public university? So there you have it;
perseverance/determination, wins! Also support from family mostly, and
teachers, except for those who dinde'didn't believe in my abilities and
made the semester a nightmare! So what do you guys think? are these
experiences worthwhile?

--
Enviado desde mi lap
Gerardo J Corripio Flores Psicólogo, Terapéuta Reiki
Saludos desde Tampico, Tamaulipas México
RompiendoBarreras espacio de psicología/Superación Personal Sábados 10PM México http://radiogeneral.com ¡los esperamos!


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