[nabs-l] accomodations for english classes
Ashley Bramlett
bookwormahb at earthlink.net
Tue Feb 3 02:19:34 UTC 2015
Aleeha!
you get it.
The school, Nova, simply pushes me and others around.
They have the conversion software to honor my request to convert the publisher file to a text format like RTF.
They simply will not do it on basis of security.
You are right they have to provide an accessible format. But who determines what is accessible?
Who determines what is a suitable accomodation?
Well, they have one way, and I like another.
The lady coordinating alternate texts told me that it was pdf files period; pdf files were readable with jaws, acording to her,
so there was no need to convert anyway.
I wrote back explaining that jaws cannot read many publisher pdf files well; that words are often smashed together as it speaks.
Who is this woman to tell me that jaws reads all pdf files fine when she does not use
jaws herself? Has she tested it yet to find out? No!
If the file fails to read, I’ll call a meeting and show them.
Oh, yes, I tried Bard. They do not carry any norton anthologies.
I have learning ally, but as I said before, I need a text file; I need to find quotes for journals. I need to have a file to follow along in class like everyone else.
If I have to do an audio book, it will be. but it’s a struggle. I have to pause it to copy down quotes and its easy to miss stuff. Also, I’m finding I cannot spell names and places right not seeing the text. if I had a text file, I could spell them with jaws.
Anyway, thanks for your ideas. As I said, I will try the pdf file once they give it to me and hook my notetaker to the pc to try to read it with jaws and the braille display.
Ashley
From: Aleeha Dudley
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2015 7:46 PM
To: Karl Martin Adam ; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Cc: Ashley Bramlett
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes
Here’s the thing. The college has to provide you with an accessible version of the file that will work for you, as long as doing so is not an undue burden on the university. There are plenty of ways they could make this file useable for you. Granted, some of the styles the author uses may not come out well with JAWS, but have you tried BARD or Learning Ally? Sorry for jumping in late on this thing and sorry if these things have been asked before, but it annoys me to no end when universities and colleges push students around and claim that something can’t be done when it could very easily.
Aleeha Dudley and Seeing Eye Dog Dallas
Vice President, Ohio Association of Guide Dog Users
Vice President, Ohio Association of Blind Students
Both proud divisions of the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
Email: blindcowgirl1993 at gmail.com
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.
“The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse’s ears.” - Arabian proverb
On Feb 2, 2015, at 6:17 PM, Karl Martin Adam via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
If you have a Braille display you can connect it to your computer, and it should display anything your computer can read. It doesn't have to be a BRF file. Similarly, you can connect your notetaker to the computer and use it as a braille display or read files on it directly. Many schools don't have conversion software to make the PDF into something else, and anyway, converting it won't make the words unsmoosh. If it's really a big deal for you, try using robobraille or one of the other conversion services out there.
----- 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, 2 Feb 2015 17:41:12 -0500
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes
This is a copy for the list.
Hi Lucy and all,
thanks for the responses.
Unfortunately, I was informed that I will get a pdf file only.
I requested it from the school and am waiting. They denied my request to
convert it to a text based format even though other colleges do that.
This community college is just difficult, IMO. Its an elective thankfully so
if I have to miss copying quotes because I cannot go find them, its not such
a big deal.
Lucy,
I wish I could use my braille display, but I do not have a brf file and
never will.
I checked bookshare.
They do not have this book.
The text is Norton Anthology of short fiction. The seventh edition.
If you can assist me, I'll write off list.
Just let me know, and which email you want me to use.
Thanks.
Ashley
-----Original Message-----
From: Lucy Sirianni
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2015 3:17 AM
To: Ashley Bramlett ; National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: re: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes
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?联 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?脎e 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?脌 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?联 reading.
I cannot go back like everyone else and skim for quotes and then
pick what I want to. I?耱l 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?䏭 what
I?脎e usually done.
I was considering trying to get handouts ahead of time, but I
don?脌 think the professor preps too far in advance.
Thanks.
Ashley
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