[nabs-l] accomodations for english classes

[Ashley Bramlett]

Hi all,

I’m 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’ve 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’t 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’m reading. 
I cannot go back like everyone else and skim for quotes and then pick what I want to. I’ll 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’s what I’ve usually done.
I was considering trying to get handouts ahead of time, but I don’t think the professor preps too far in advance.

Thanks.

Ashley