[nabs-l] accomodations for english classes

Mon Feb 2 22:28:56 UTC 2015

Hi Bridgit,

I'm glad you have something that works.
I'm quite discouraged, yet, I will do what I can by listening carefully to 
the book and just as you do, I take notes. I refer to the notes in class in 
place of following along with the text.

I just requested the publisher file. but my school refuses to convert from 
pdf
to a more suitable form like Word or RTF.

If I had a text file or .brf file this would be best. I suspect jaws will 
not read the file once I have it. Many publisher pdfs in my experience are 
awful and sound like words smashed together.

I so wish I could see this text! One of our readings has phonetic spelling 
to simulate how some blacks spoke. I cannot see this which adds to the point 
of the story.

The professor said he'd write comments electronically.

Thanks for the advice.

Ashley

-----Original Message----- 
From: Bridget Walker via nabs-l
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2015 9:27 AM
To: Lucy Sirianni ; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes

Hi Ashley,
I second what Lucy told you.
I am an english major I am a duel major in English and education.
I use bookshare for most all of my books. If I know I need an anthology I 
get them from learning ally. I am an auditory learner so I retain what I 
read very well.
I take broiled notes hard copy as I read for class. They have important 
quotes, vocabulary, scenes to refer to etc.
I can not follow along in the text in class. I make up for it with my notes.
Professors will mention a passage which I will note in class and look over 
later. If we are in groups I will ask someone to read aloud no one minds and 
group members like it.
Discussion board I's and has always been a disaster. If you have a tablet 
access it on there. The computer is to obnoxious.
For professor comments have them provide the comments electronically through 
Microsoft word or email.
I hope some of this helps.
Bridget

Sent from my iPad

> On Jan 27, 27 Heisei, at 3:17 AM, Lucy Sirianni via nabs-l 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> Hi Ashley,
>
> As a doctoral candidate in English and a college-level English instructor, 
> let me take a stab at answering just a few of your questions.
>
> First, I would encourage you to obtain the text in a format you can access 
> via Braille display.  This will not only allow you to access them in class 
> but will also make it much easier to integrate quotes into your writing, 
> as you can simply paste them into your analysis.  Many of the Norton 
> anthologies are available via Bookshare.  If the one you're using isn't, 
> feel free to contact me directly, as I frequently teach from various 
> Norton anthologies and may be able to point you toward an accessible 
> version of the one assigned for your class.
>
> Second, I would ask for both comments and handouts to be sent to you 
> electronically.  These are very reasonable accommodations to request and 
> ones I routinely offer students with no inconvenience to myself.  Assuming 
> you do indeed have a note-taker, you shouldn't need the handouts too far 
> in advance of class, so the professor shouldn't need to alter his or her 
> schedule of lesson planning substantially.
>
> I haven't worked with Blackboard or with texts in audio format, so I can't 
> offer any input on your other questions, but please don't hesitate to be 
> in touch if I can help with anything else.
>
> Enjoy the course!
>
> Lucy
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Ashley Bramlett via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 23:24:54 -0500
> Subject: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes
>
> Hi all,
>
> I’m taking a literature elective.  A year or so back, I tried taking one 
> and wrote to you all about a professor not interested in accomodating me.
> He showed videos of the literature he used and I would not be able to 
> access that outside class with a reader among other issues.
>
> Fortunately, my new professor for short story seems nice and willing to 
> help.  No videos are used and his class is very auditory with lots of 
> discussion; sometimes in small groups and sometimes as a whole class.
>
> Here are my  questions and concerns though.
> Note that I have the book in audio form now, but am looking for it in text 
> form and may ask my dss office to get it from the publisher.  I generally 
> have found publisher files unfriendly though as its pdf.  the words are 
> often smashed together and words are broken up with hyphens as jaws reads 
> them.
> But, I might need to try that way as I really need to see the text and 
> spelling of some words.  Otherwise, I may have to pay a reader to read 
> some of the stories where Learning ally readers are low quality or in 
> situations where I need to see the spelling and quotes in the story.
>
> What ideas do you have for these issues.
>
> 1.  The class is asked to bring their texts and reference  passages for 
> discussion.
> So far, the prof or a student reads the quotes to me.  But I am at a 
> disadvantage not seeing the quotes in their context.  Other students can 
> read further past the quote or skim the page to refresh their memory where 
> the passage came from.
>
>
>
>
> Do you bring  an accessible copy of the book to class? for instance, a brf 
> file or text file on your braille notetaker.
>
> 2.  We have to write about the readings either a reading journal response 
> or discussion board.
> After writing them, how has your professor given you feedback?
> Do you ask for it electronically so you can read his/her response?
> In the past, I’ve handed in homework and professors wrote it by hand like 
> everyone else; they would go over it with me if I asked or I just asked my 
> reader to read it over.
> But, since the prof does it electronically via blackboard, maybe, he could 
> write the feedback in the paper.
>
> 3.  For the discussion boards, is that accessible? I use jaws 15.
> If you had issues, what were they? They use blackboard and we have to not 
> only have to write a new post but also  comment on them as well, and I don’t 
> know if I will be able to comment on them.  I know I could not years ago 
> in an english class.
>
> 4.  How do you work quotes into your reading responses or essays?
> Doing this auditorily is harder and I hope I can get this book in text 
> soon.
>
> The only way I can think of  is to copy it carefully verbatum on my 
> braille note first as I’m reading.
> I cannot go back like everyone else and skim for quotes and then pick what 
> I want to.  I’ll have to think about it as I read and copy it down as I 
> listen.
> Is it okay to start a paragraph with the quote or should I explain it and 
> then quote it?
>
> 5.  Our responses have to be a certain word count or more.  I use word 
> 2010.  How do I find the word count?
>
> Also when  using handouts in class for activities, how  do you access 
> them? Just use another student as a reader? That’s what I’ve usually done.
> I was considering trying to get handouts ahead of time, but I don’t think 
> the professor preps too far in advance.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Ashley
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