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

Sat Oct 31 15:16:53 UTC 2015

Yes, from what I read, the school is in violation of the ADA, and of section
504 of the rehabilitation act. Those are both federal laws.  We just have to
do a little more advocating, and at times, bringing in the big guns to force
compliance every so often.
Justin

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Justin Harford
via nabs-l
Sent: Saturday, October 31, 2015 11:04 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Justin Harford <blindstein at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] SO MANY ACCOMMODATION ISSUES! Advice needed!

Yes, but public prosecutors and police enforce laws against murder. The
state does not take remotely the same interest in the ADA. 

> On Oct 31, 2015, at 7:35 AM, Karl Martin Adam via nabs-l
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> 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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