[nabs-l] The import of Self-advocacy

Wed Jan 7 19:59:41 UTC 2015

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

 ----- Original Message -----
From: Michael D Ausbun via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To: Roanna Bacchus <rbacchus228 at gmail.com>, "National Association 
of BlindStudents mailing list" <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Wed, 7 Jan 2015 19:26:57 +0000
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] The import of Self-advocacy

Hello Roanna,
	I’m not really sure how much to say; however, I certainly do 
agree. Self-advocacy is the difference between success and 
failure, both in life and at the University. With that said, 
here is a list of things which I do at the University, in 
order to be an independent advocator:
1)	I always attempt to establish a connection and meeting with 
my professors before the semester starts. I introduce myself 
in an email, let them know my level of vision, and request a 
meeting. When we meet, we discuss their personal classroom 
etiquette and expectations, the accommodations which I might 
need etc. I have never had a situation where a professor was 
unwilling to work with me within reason (the only times I’ve 
witnessed professors acting ablest was when the student went 
over their head). Professors are people too and have 
feelings.
2)	I always try to gather my books before the semester starts, 
be that via the DSS office or by requesting them from book 
share. In the case of requesting from book share, I 
recognize that it takes a while for books to be available; 
therefore, I always find out what books I need well in 
advance, then I request them. Book share can take any ware 
from a week to four months, depending on the difficulty of 
the book (logic, math and other visual fields have no 
descriptions or formula, at least from the discussion I’ve 
had with book share’s representatives).
3)	I always take time to find out where my classes are located. 
This is a small thing, but doing so ensures that I can be 
confident on the first day of class. In class communication 
with others is heavily reliant upon ones confidence; thus, 
if you are able to be confident from the start, then you can 
make friends quicker.
I’m not really sure what else to add off the top of my head; I 
hope this is adequate. If I remember anything else, I’ll send 
another email.
Respectfully,
Michael
________________________________________
From: nabs-l [nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] on behalf of Roanna 
Bacchus via nabs-l [nabs-l at nfbnet.org]
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2015 9:35 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabs-l] The import of Self-advocacy

Dear Members,

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

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