[nabs-l] accomodations for english classes

Karl Martin Adam kmaent1 at gmail.com
Tue Feb 3 02:31:42 UTC 2015


You're right of course that they should convert the file for you, 
but the thing is, even if they do, that won't solve your problem.
The OCR software Adobe or Kursweil or whatever uses to convert a 
PDF to text has the same problems trying to figure out what 
letters are in the picture (which is what a PDF is) as the OCR 
jaws uses, so you'll have the same problems with words stuck 
together or letters being incorrect even if they convert it for 
you.  Occasionally one OCR will be better than another for a 
specific text, but there isn't really one that works particularly 
well over all.  The only way to get something that's nice and 
polished is to have someone sit and proofread after converting, 
which is extremely time consuming and tedious to do.  Schools 
should probably provide that as a service, but almost none of 
them do unfortunately.
 ----- 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 21:19:34 -0500
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] accomodations for english classes

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



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