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

Tue Dec 16 04:46:04 UTC 2014

Ashley.  I know about the acomidation sheets you mentioned.  I gave
them to my instructors in college all the time.  But, I had to get
them from my DSS office like you also mentioned.  As I progressed
through college, I became better at asking teachers for the help I
needed.  In the beginning some of the teachers would ask me how they
could best help me, but later on, I'd aproach a teacher either before,
or after class, and speak to them, if I had a problem or a question.
No blind person should be afraid to ask for the help they need.  I
remember one of my teachers for a history class substituted me calling
her on the phone and talking to her instead of a face to face office
visit which was one of the requirements for her class.  Overall I'd
say my instructors were very acomidating and gave me the help I need.
The one teacher who didn't want me in his science class, I was able to
take an alternative online class which worked out very well for me.
These discussions are always very interesting.

On 12/15/14, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> Joshua,
>
> I agree. While I never had issues ordering recorded texts,
> since my TVI taught me that, I did rely on dss for accessible handouts at
> the beginning.
> As I got more comfortable with technology and scanners, I relied less on
> them for that.
>
> I think DSS should be used in moderation as lilly said.
> I also feel its in the amount of inaccessible things. For instance, I think
>
> a blind student can and should scan small handouts themselves if they are
> not accessible already via the professor's emailing them.
> But if its major readings like 20 plus pages, I think it may be reasonable
> for dss to do it. I say this because its time consuming to scan and scan and
>
> if you let dss do it, they can edit for you.
> So, its all an individual thing.
>
> Ashley
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Joshua Hendrickson via nabs-l
> Sent: Monday, December 15, 2014 10:14 PM
> To: Lillie Pennington ; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] One can live without disability services and others
>
> Lily. I agree with you.  When I was first in college, I really didn't
> know all that much, about getting textbooks and the best way to get
> handouts.  At first, I visited my DSS office quite frequently to get
> handouts, or textbooks on mp3 cd.  But as the years went on, I learned
> how to use the computer better, and how to get some books from
> learning ally which meant I didn't have to use the DSS office as
> often.  I always felt that my DSS office did a very nice job helping
> me in my early college years.  I'm very greatful my college had a
> tutoring center where I could go to get tutoring in classes especially
> math.  Math is the reason why it took me so long to get my associates
> degree.  Geometry was not fun.  It took me four hours to complete the
> geometry final.  Good luck all in your persuing of your high school,
> or college careers.  I wish more blind people would go to college.  I
> know a couple people who don't go to college.
>
> On 12/15/14, Lillie Pennington via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>> I personally would not trust myself to honestly to do a take-home exam.
>> Also, as has been pointed out previously, family support is not as
>> accessible in some cases, for example, where there is a complete lack of
>> support, or if a student lives farther away from home, like I am
>> planning.
>> While I agree that disability services should not hold her hands for us
>> and
>> do everything, I do not think that they should be completely dismissed. I
>> think, if used in moderation, and effectively, the DSS office can be a
>> valuable tool for success.
>> Granted, I do not have experience with disability services offices
>> directly
>> because I am a junior in high school still. However, from stories I have
>> heard on here, and other stories I have heard through friends, I have
>> formed
>> my own opinion.
>>
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On Dec 15, 2014, at 8:45 PM, Karl Martin Adam via nabs-l
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> As someone who is going to become a college professor, I would never
>>> allow
>>> a student to take a test unproctored.  I've had professors offer to let
>>> me
>>> do that, and once or twice I have just out of convenience, but I have
>>> too
>>> many blind friends who use their blindness as an excuse to take tests on
>>> their notetakers or worse yet at home so they can cheat by looking at
>>> the
>>> book and their notes.  The level of cheating that goes on in DSS offices
>>> is horrifying (I know, I've worked there) without even getting into
>>> giving
>>> blind people the chance to take in class exams as takehomes.
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: Michael D Ausbun via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> To: Gerardo Corripio <gera1027 at gmail.com>, "National Association of
>>> BlindStudents mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> Date sent: Mon, 15 Dec 2014 22:28:37 +0000
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] One can live without disability services and
>>> others
>>>
>>> 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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