[nabs-l] The import of Self-advocacy

[Karl Martin Adam]

I'm=20a=20bit=20curious=20about=20why=20you=20guys=20contact=20your=20profe=
ssors=20
before=20the=20first=20class.=20=20I've=20done=20that=20with=20a=20few=20cl=
asses=20where=20
the=20professor=20needed=20to=20do=20a=20lot=20to=20make=20things=20accessi=
ble=20or=20
where=20I=20needed=20to=20get=20specialized=20materials=20in=20advance--lab=
=20
sciences,=20geography,=20German,=20fencing,=20symbolic=20logic--but=20I've=
=20
always=20just=20gone=20up=20to=20ordinary=20humanities=20and=20social=20sci=
ence=20
professors=20at=20the=20end=20of=20class=20on=20the=20first=20day.=20=20It=
=20never=20really=20
occurred=20to=20me=20that=20the=20things=20I=20was=20asking=20for--handouts=
=20in=20
accessible=20format,=20permission=20to=20take=20notes=20with=20my=20apex,=20=
taking=20
exams=20at=20dss--were=20anything=20that=20were=20that=20big=20a=20deal.=20=
=20Maybe=20
I've=20just=20been=20lucky,=20but=20I've=20never=20had=20any=20blindness=20=
related=20
problems=20with=20a=20professor.=20=20Getting=20books=20has=20been=20challe=
nging=20
sometimes,=20but=20that=20has=20to=20do=20with=20publishers=20not=20profess=
ors.=20=20I=20
definitely=20agree=20with=20Michael=20that=20it's=20important=20to=20order=
=20books=20
well=20in=20advance=20and=20plan=20for=20those=20hard=20to=20adapt=20classe=
s=20like=20lab=20
sciences.=20=20Going=20and=20finding=20my=20classrooms=20ahead=20of=20time=
=20is=20also=20
something=20I=20usually=20do=20though=20if=20I=20know=20the=20layout=20of=20=
a=20building=20
well=20I=20usually=20just=20go=20find=20the=20specific=20class=20on=20the=20=
day=20of.=20=20I=20
also=20try=20to=20be=20early=20the=20first=20couple=20classes=20so=20I=20ca=
n=20go=20in=20the=20
room=20and=20find=20a=20seat=20while=20most=20seats=20are=20still=20open=20=
instead=20of=20
doing=20that=20awkward=20thing=20where=20we=20wander=20around=20trying=20to=
=20find=20
the=20one=20empty=20chair=20in=20a=20full=20room.=20=20The=20other=20thing=
=20I=20think=20is=20
really=20important=20is=20having=20a=20good=20relationship=20with=20DSS.=20=
=20That=20
includes=20the=20director=20and=20specialists=20like=20the=20person=20in=20=
charge=20
of=20getting=20books=20and=20also=20the=20secretary=20if=20there=20is=20one=
=20and=20the=20
student=20workers.=20=20They=20all=20those=20people=20can=20be=20really=20h=
elpful=20to=20
you=20if=20you=20have=20a=20good=20relationship=20with=20them.

=20-----=20Original=20Message=20-----
From:=20Michael=20D=20Ausbun=20via=20nabs-l=20<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To:=20Roanna=20Bacchus=20<rbacchus228 at gmail.com>,=20"National=20Association=
=20
of=20BlindStudents=20mailing=20list"=20<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date=20sent:=20Wed,=207=20Jan=202015=2019:26:57=20+0000
Subject:=20Re:=20[nabs-l]=20The=20import=20of=20Self-advocacy

Hello=20Roanna,
=09I=92m=20not=20really=20sure=20how=20much=20to=20say;=20however,=20I=20ce=
rtainly=20do=20
agree.=20Self-advocacy=20is=20the=20difference=20between=20success=20and=20=

failure,=20both=20in=20life=20and=20at=20the=20University.=20With=20that=20=
said,=20
here=20is=20a=20list=20of=20things=20which=20I=20do=20at=20the=20University=
,=20in=20
order=20to=20be=20an=20independent=20advocator:
1)=09I=20always=20attempt=20to=20establish=20a=20connection=20and=20meeting=
=20with=20
my=20professors=20before=20the=20semester=20starts.=20I=20introduce=20mysel=
f=20
in=20an=20email,=20let=20them=20know=20my=20level=20of=20vision,=20and=20re=
quest=20a=20
meeting.=20When=20we=20meet,=20we=20discuss=20their=20personal=20classroom=
=20
etiquette=20and=20expectations,=20the=20accommodations=20which=20I=20might=
=20
need=20etc.=20I=20have=20never=20had=20a=20situation=20where=20a=20professo=
r=20was=20
unwilling=20to=20work=20with=20me=20within=20reason=20(the=20only=20times=20=
I=92ve=20
witnessed=20professors=20acting=20ablest=20was=20when=20the=20student=20wen=
t=20
over=20their=20head).=20Professors=20are=20people=20too=20and=20have=20
feelings.
2)=09I=20always=20try=20to=20gather=20my=20books=20before=20the=20semester=
=20starts,=20
be=20that=20via=20the=20DSS=20office=20or=20by=20requesting=20them=20from=20=
book=20
share.=20In=20the=20case=20of=20requesting=20from=20book=20share,=20I=20
recognize=20that=20it=20takes=20a=20while=20for=20books=20to=20be=20availab=
le;=20
therefore,=20I=20always=20find=20out=20what=20books=20I=20need=20well=20in=
=20
advance,=20then=20I=20request=20them.=20Book=20share=20can=20take=20any=20w=
are=20
from=20a=20week=20to=20four=20months,=20depending=20on=20the=20difficulty=20=
of=20
the=20book=20(logic,=20math=20and=20other=20visual=20fields=20have=20no=20
descriptions=20or=20formula,=20at=20least=20from=20the=20discussion=20I=92v=
e=20
had=20with=20book=20share=92s=20representatives).
3)=09I=20always=20take=20time=20to=20find=20out=20where=20my=20classes=20ar=
e=20located.=20
This=20is=20a=20small=20thing,=20but=20doing=20so=20ensures=20that=20I=20ca=
n=20be=20
confident=20on=20the=20first=20day=20of=20class.=20In=20class=20communicati=
on=20
with=20others=20is=20heavily=20reliant=20upon=20ones=20confidence;=20thus,=
=20
if=20you=20are=20able=20to=20be=20confident=20from=20the=20start,=20then=20=
you=20can=20
make=20friends=20quicker.
I=92m=20not=20really=20sure=20what=20else=20to=20add=20off=20the=20top=20of=
=20my=20head;=20I=20
hope=20this=20is=20adequate.=20If=20I=20remember=20anything=20else,=20I=92l=
l=20send=20
another=20email.
Respectfully,
Michael
________________________________________
From:=20nabs-l=20[nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org]=20on=20behalf=20of=20Roanna=20=

Bacchus=20via=20nabs-l=20[nabs-l at nfbnet.org]
Sent:=20Wednesday,=20January=2007,=202015=209:35=20AM
To:=20nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject:=20[nabs-l]=20The=20import=20of=20Self-advocacy

Dear=20Members,

As=20a=20blind=20college=20student=20I've=20had=20to=20advocate=20for=20mys=
elf
without=20assistance=20from=20others.=20=20Each=20semester=20I=20advocate=20=
for
myself=20by=20sending=20out=20introduction=20emails=20to=20my=20professors=
=20before
classes=20begin.=20=20I=20think=20self=20advocacy=20is=20important=20becaus=
e=20it
allows=20us=20to=20become=20more=20independent=20as=20blind=20students.=20=
=20I'd=20like
to=20hear=20stories=20about=20how=20you've=20advocated=20for=20yourselves.

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