[nabs-l] accomodations for english classes

Tue Feb 3 02:25:32 UTC 2015

I have also personally used Kurzweil to convert PDF files.

Good luck

Jonathan Franks
Treasurer
Texas Association of Blind Students

On 2/2/15, Karl Martin Adam via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> So, like I was saying, you could convert it yourself through
> robobraille.org or convertfiles.org or one of a number of
> different places.  There's also a free version of adobe you could
> use, or most modern web browsers can convert PDFs.  Also, the
> BrailleNote has a PDF conversion utility, but it only works for
> accessible PDFs.  Once you convert the file, it will also be a
> lot smaller, so any size flash drive will work.
>
>  ----- 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 21:09:06 -0500
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes
>
> Carl,
>
> Again, the school denied my request to convert to a different
> format.
> She said the text comes in pdf and it has to stay that way for
> security
> reasons.
> They are being difficult. They have the conversion software which
> is adobe
> pro.
> They just will not do it.
> The school knows about the website accessibility  issues too, and
> fails to
> fix them. Me and a blind staff member and student told them of
> it.
>
> I need to see the text. Learning ally is not working well for me
> for a lit
> class.
> I do like your idea of the braille display. I can use the
> notetaker's
> braille display hooked to the pc.
> That, or, I can see if putting the text file on a USB drive and
> placing the
> drive in the BrailleNote will work.
> Then I can read the pdf on the notetaker and forget the step of
> the pc.
>
> I'll just have to see what happens when the file comes. I'm just
> so
> frustrated with the school, northern virginia community college.
> nova for
> short.
>
> I would think they  would want to be helpful, not make excuses.
>
> The norton anthology text is so big, I will have to experiment
> and see what
> size USB drive I need to put it on.
>
>
> Ashley
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Karl Martin Adam
> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2015 6:17 PM
> To: Ashley Bramlett ; National Association of Blind Students
> mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes
>
> 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?셫 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?셶e 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?셳 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?셫 reading.
> I cannot go back like everyone else and skim for quotes and then
> pick what I want to.  I?셪l 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?셲 what
> I?셶e usually done.
> I was considering trying to get handouts ahead of time, but I
> don?셳 think the professor preps too far in advance.
>
> Thanks.
>
> Ashley
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