[nabs-l] SO MANY ACCOMMODATION ISSUES! Advice needed!

Sat Oct 31 14:50:33 UTC 2015

Sometimes, though, one has to make a choice as to what their goal is in
taking a course.  I suspect that if one wanted to make a case that
blackboard presentations constitute written materials, they might win after
a long battle, but I doubt it is for certain.  For example, I doubt the ADA
would cover a teacher using a blackboard to answer a question that was asked
in class, where there was no advanced planning.  That happened often when I
was in school and I doubt that has changed.  Further, whether the school is
right or wrong, one does not have the same sort of protection in many jobs.
It is worth developing one's ability to deal with information in less than
accessible forms now rather than having to do it on the job when it could
affect one's performance.  It is always a balancing act to figure out when
one is morally correct but it might mean having to take a class again or
whether one should concentrate on learning the subject matter.  I am not
trying to say one or the other is always right, only that one has to pick
one's battles in life, and I suspect the blackboard business is not going to
be clearcut, even if it is true that the professor is being a bit of a jerk.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Karl Martin
Adam via nabs-l
Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2015 9:35 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Karl Martin Adam <kmaent1 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] SO MANY ACCOMMODATION ISSUES! Advice needed!

DO you even know what the ADA does?  For one thing, it makes what 
this school is doing illegal.  Schools are required by law to 
provide all written materials in accessable formats, either 
accessable lab equipment or lab assistents, etc.  Sure they 
sometimes break the law like this school is doing, but people 
break the law against murder too, and that doesn't make laws 
against murder "a joke."

 ----- Original Message -----
From: wmodnl wmodnl via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Sat, 31 Oct 2015 08:19:45 -0400
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] SO MANY ACCOMMODATION ISSUES! Advice 
needed!

The ADA is a joke of a piece of legislation as it relates to 
providing access for the blind other than the sometimes 
availability of braille signs you may find in a building. What a 
waist of overnment services.

Sent from my iPad

 On Oct 30, 2015, at 12:00 AM, chelsea peahl via nabs-l 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:

 I am in dier need of advice!This is my first semester returning 
to school after taking a year-long leave of absence to receive 
blindness training in Utah. I may have entered this semester too 
confidently, but I felt like I could better advocate for myself, 
but this semester may get the better of me.
 I'm not just dealing with accessibility or accommodation issues 
in one or two classes, but all of them plus with my universities 
accessibility center. (ASD) Here is just a glimpse of whats 
happening
 Math: Everything is done on the board. He uses no technology in 
his class, and is not open to trying anything. I cannot see 
anything happening, and so have had to teach myself math this 
semester off of YouTube videos. He does not have office hours, 
and does not respond to emails. My midterm was not emailed to the 
ATC to be made accessible until the day of the midterm, and that 
is what has happened with several tests as well. I have a 
notetaker, but having to rely on her notes isn't enough for a 
math class. We have since tried using a transcriber, but because 
I have to make the font so large to read it, most problems do not 
fit on the screen. I am unable to see a problem start to finish 
because the program kicks me to wherever the person is typing and 
I am unable to look back. We have since discontinued this service 
because it wasn't working for me. We are looking for a new option 
to fill this. (ATC is looking at trying a video magnifier, but we 
won't have access to one for weeks to try, then we will have to 
purchase one which will take a few additional weeks, and by the 
time it arrives, the semester will be over.
 HIstory: I have a notetaker who is decent in there, but access 
to slides is a joke. I did not receive slides until the day 
before the midterm for the semester. How do you study for a 
midterm when you get the information the day before. I have yet 
to receive any slides since our midterm 2 weeks ago. I talk to 
him daily almost begging for the slides, but it has yet to 
happen.
 Music: I have an intro to music class online. I learned that my 
accommodation letter was never sent (thats how my university does 
it for online classes) and therefore I have no accommodations for 
my tests within that class. I am working my hardest to get them, 
but its after midterms, so I may never receive accommodations for 
the course.
 English: My english class is a joke. It has been since the 
beginning. At first, my professor tried sending me into the 
hallways for our daily quizzes (I haven't figured out why) 
Everything is done on the board through powerpoint and other 
sources daily, and the only thing I am ever given access to is 
the quiz (Printed). She has emailed me asking if I was going to 
drop her class, has refused to give me quizzes with the class, 
calls out my blindness almost daily, and doesn't give me access 
to any extra credit that the rest of my class gets. Because I am 
unable to see the board, and she is unwilling to help me, I am 
left to figure everything out on my own. (which sucks. If Im 
paying to take a class, maybe she should teach me that subject) 
Just today, she sent me another email saying the stuff shown 
overhead isn't that important...and if I thought it was unfair, I 
should go talk to her. (I talk to her DAILY to no avail!) I have 
since been advised by ASD to not return to her class until 
further notice. (which is stressful because we have daily quizzes 
that can't be made up.) I also have a notetaker, but I'm lucky to 
receive a few sentences of notes once a week.
 ASD: My councilors was of accommodating me with the struggles in 
my classes was to offer to buy professors larger markers and to 
tell me to walk to the board if I can't see it. (I'm legally 
blind at 20/400 and 20/600 vision, and declining.) I have brought 
up these issues since first week, and he never tried to approach 
the situation in the slightest. After weeks of fighting, I 
finally got someone to listen to me. (our amazing Lab Tech, 
Jenna! She has gone above and beyond her job to help me, and I 
couldn't thank her enough.) When she heard there was this big of 
a problem, she has been working to try and help me solve this. I 
have since gone through a councilor change to try and get 
something done, and yet, nothing is happening. (other than a few 
emails sent.)
 Its past midterms. My grades are suffering because of this all, 
and its not my fault! I'm frustrated! My grades aren't due to 
laziness or not doing the work, they are from test scores because 
how can you study when you are never given the information?!
 It has been advised to file a formal grievance against the 
university, but I still hold on to hope that things will get 
better, but I have fought all semester. I have talked to 
professors almost daily. I've stated these issues since the 
beginning. I have fought with the ASD more than once a week. I 
have had to get a new councilor, and have sat through multiple 
meetings a week with the ASD and ATC. I have had to threaten a 
formal grievance, (and may have to file one.) I overall feel like 
I'm becoming the ASD "Problem client" and thats the last thing I 
want. I just want access to my classes! I know I should pick my 
battles, but if I back down now, I'm backing down for the next 
three years or longer, and I'm not willing to do that! This is my 
education, and I deserve access just like everyone else! This is 
definitely taking a tole on me!
 I need your advice on where to go from here. I have more 
meetings tomorrow and throughout next week, and I need to get 
them to hear my voice, and what may have been helpful to you!
 Thank you! Chelsea Peahl
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