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

Thu Dec 18 17:40:36 UTC 2014

Hi all,

Absolutely to the original post!  I think that experience is
meritable, and worthwhile.

I work in my university's OLR (Office of Learning Resources, it's the
DS office plus it handles tutoring, techn training, and teacher
evaluations).  It's a great group of people working on staff, but I do
know they have a high incidence of cheating and have to monitor a lot
for it.  For example, on the rare occasion that I do take a test in
there, I know I'm always being watched on camera that can show close
ups of my computer monitor, as well as if I were to get out another
device I managed to sneak into the testing room with me to look up an
answer.  Once when I was taking a stats exam, and the proctor left the
door open a crack, I even heard her confronting another student about
cheating.  Apparently, he had written formulas on the inside of his
arm for his pre-calc exam when the class was supposed to know them.
He tried to deny it, but the formulas were still there.

I've had an interesting college experience, because I haven't used a
lot of the services that other students use.  E.G, I have never used a
reader or a scribe for tests or homework.  I have dictated part of my
test to a professor twice this semester, but that was because to do it
myself would have taken me an hour at best, and this way it took me 20
minutes.  I've been fortunate to learn where to get books, and to have
a DS office fill in when I can't find the ones I need in ready-to-go
condition.

However, for tests I think I'm somewhat different.  I hate testing in
the DS office, mainly because it throws off my schedule, and is
unnecessary most of the time.  Of course I'd go there to take a math
exam where I would undoubtedly need extended time, but if I'm taking
something for psychology, history, or something else I don't usually
require beyond average time.  I also prefer to take tests in the
classroom because the teacher is there if I have a question about the
test.  I've built up enough rapport with my music professors that, if
I need a few extra minutes to finish an exam or need to do something
differently, they're usually either happy to wait around a few
minutes, have me come by their office hours some time that day to
finish up, or schedule an earlier start time with me in advance if
they can't hang around after the test.  The only tests I have ever
been given to take home have all been open book anyway, so in those
cases using notes and other materials was encouraged.  I've never
tried to persuade a professor into giving me a test that wasn't
supposed to be taken at home though.

I have a few things to point out about what was originally said about
family support.  First, I don't think being an only child/having
siblings has anything to do it.  I'm the oldest of 3, and my younger
brother also has a learning disability.  Growing up, my parents, even
though hey both worked and also had my non-disabled sister in addition
to the two of us on IEPs, were always willing to help in ways that
were needed for all 3 of us.  This included reading to me when I
didn't have braille, scribing or transcribing brailled homework when
technology went down, and drilling my brother on reading and
memorizing for his math and reading comprehension.  My sister also
came to my mom for help, too; I do know that my mom helped her a lot
when she was struggling in history and French in high school.  I also
have to agree that, no matter how supportive a family is, if you're
further away they won't be able to help.  Hopefully, the family will
have been supportive enough to teach the student how to manage on
their own or ask appropriate people for assistance when the parents
aren't there.  I live an hour away from home, so I can't go to my mom
and ask her to read or scribe something.

I think it's really key to talk to your professors in advance, and I
personally prefer to try to do as much work between the professor and
I as possible.  I'm a big fan of having the professors give me a flash
drive or send me an email with test documents, and for me to send it
back to them when I'm done.  Most of my professors have done this with
no problems.  A few have asked the OLR to scan the test and send it to
me, but that's something they could do if they wanted to as well.
Additionally, I've also had professors test me outside of class, and
this has worked great in situations like in my conducting class where
I needed to demonstrate knowledge rather than write down answers.

I won't deny that Ds isn't helpful, because sometimes they can be, but
I don't interact with them more than a handful of times each semester.
I know of students who go to the DS office at their school for
something they need every single day just about, and unless you're in
a ridiculously visual major that shouldn't be necessary provided you
know how to work with your professors and find resources on your own.
Another thing I have noticed is that some blind people, including
students, feel like they should never have to pay for any technology
whatsoever because the state should get it for them.  While I
certainly use a state-purchased notetaker and had a state-purchased
laptop for a while, I know the laptop I have now is something my
family and I bought, I have my own jaws license, and other odds and
ends.  I know some students who will even ask voc rehab to pay for new
canes, which is seriously overstretching it.

On 12/18/14, wmodnl wmodnl via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> In general, it is usually the case that, public/state schools have better
> resources than private ones.
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Dec 15, 2014, at 4:57 PM, Gerardo Corripio via nabs-l
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> 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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-- 
Kaiti