[nabs-l] A Struggling Blind Student Looking for Some Advice

Sun Jan 31 07:59:00 UTC 2016

Hello to Elizabeth and all.  I have read this thread with great
interest.  First, let me say It is very unfortunate that you are
having all these problems taking one test.  Some of the suggestions I
read were one's I would have made myself.  I have taken different
tests with my instructors, and some with a scribe at the testing
center of our college.  It really depended upon what test it was, and
the time my instructor could have with me.  For example in my geometry
class, my professor gave me all the tests except the final exam.  She
would schedule what time she was available she could give me the exam.
Sometimes I had to go to the college in the evenings but that was the
only time my professor was available.  Are you allowed double time for
tests?  I know I was, it took me four hours to take my geometry test,
but I did pass the test.  Don't be afraid to ask for the help you
need.  If you don't ask, then you won't know what kind of help you can
get.  Chin up, and good luck.

On 1/31/16, Greg Aikens via nabs-l <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hi Elizabeth,
> I’m sorry to hear that you are going through such a tough situation. It
> sounds as though you had a system that worked but now the disability office
> has fallen down on their end and are not providing what you need. It is true
> that having multiple tools to accomplish a task is a must but having access
> to something so basic as a screen reader in the testing center should be a
> no-brainer.
>
> Here are some options you might consider:
> 1. Continue to advocate with your DSO but at the same time, find out who
> their boss is and start going up the chain of command with your complaint.
> Most DSOs issue accommodation letters to students at the beginning of each
> semester. Do you have one that includes the use of JAWS on tests? That could
> be very useful in discussions with administration. If you do decide to go up
> the chain of command, there are several veterans on this list who could help
> you word emails, find out who to contact, etc.
> 2. The oral exam or recorded oral answer routes are probably going to be
> your next best option after JAWS. Dictating is difficult but recording an
> answer is somewhat easier, as long as your professor understands that you
> are not saying word for word what you might have written. I did not realize
> that the VR stream had its own file format. There are many inexpensive (less
> than $20) voice recorders you can get at most stores like Wal-Mart or
> Target. This would do the job. If you are not able to purchase one yourself,
> perhaps the DSO could be convinced to do so since you only need it because
> they are failing to provide you JAWS in the testing center. Alternatively,
> your library on campus may have voice recorders like this that can be
> checked out.
> 3. Use a human scribe. I agree that this is less than ideal, but it might be
> better than not taking the test at all, at least until you work something
> else out.
> 4. If none of these ideas work, you may need to seriously consider dropping
> the class, if you are not already past the drop date. It would be
> unfortunate if you have to take that route, but I’m not sure why you would
> continue to pay for a class you can’t have access to. You might even be able
> to persuade them to fully refund your money since it is the University’s
> lack of accommodations that seems to be preventing you from success.
>
> This sounds like an ugly situation and I’m sorry you are having to deal with
> it. I apologize in advance if these are not the answers you were looking
> for. Reading through this thread, you have received a variety of advice, in
> my opinion, some good, some bad, and some irrelevant. It seems clear though
> that you have not received the kind of support you are looking for. What
> exactly are you looking for? Do you want someone to help you figure out how
> to go up the chain of command and what to say? Do you want someone to come
> with you to visit your DSO office to help you advocate? Those seem like
> reasonable requests to me. It seems as though there are many people willing
> to help, offer advice, etc. Don’t shut them out because they can’t read your
> mind. Clarify your request and ignore  answers if they aren’t helpful
> (including mine).
>
> I hope you can get this resolved.
>
> Best,
> Greg
>
>> On Jan 29, 2016, at 9:37 PM, Elizabeth Mohnke via nabs-l
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> Simply because this suggestion works for some does not mean it will work
>> for
>> all. I have a hard enough time typing with the use of a screen reader, I
>> cannot imagine how horrible my typing would be without the use of a screen
>> reader.
>>
>> Elizabeth
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Carly
>> Mihalakis
>> via nabs-l
>> Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 9:32 PM
>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>;
>> National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at comcast.net>
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] A Struggling Blind Student Looking for Some Advice
>>
>> Evening, List,
>>
>> That is a good suggestion~! 'smatter of cfact, at times I was editing my
>> writing with sighted student writing tutors, I used the in class computers
>> in exactly that manner. And, it works well.
>> CarAt 04:02 PM 1/29/2016, Jamie Principato via nabs-l wrote:
>>> Another option would be to type your responses without JAWS, and have a
>>> scribe or reader read it back to you and help you correct typos and
>>> errors it's still your independent work, but you'd have a reader do the
>>> job of JAWS until the school gets the computers with jaws fixed.
>>>
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>> On Jan 29, 2016, at 4:56 PM, Elizabeth Mohnke via nabs-l
>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hello Jamie,
>>>>
>>>> How can you assume the disabilities office would have a tape
>>>> recorder? As far as I can tell, the disabilities office does not have
>> much of anything.
>>>>
>>>> And if I have a difficult time using the screen reader voice that I
>>>> have been using for years, I do not believe I would be able to learn
>>> how to use a
>>>> new voice that I simply cannot understand.
>>>>
>>>> I am sorry if you do not understand or believe me. And I am even
>>>> more sorry that I posted my question about how to take my exam on this
>> email list.
>>>> Having everyone jump down my throat about not being able to attend
>>>> an NFB training center or not having perfect Braille skills was
>>> definitely not what
>>>> I needed today. It looks as though the positive support of the NFB
>>>> is for everyone else besides me.
>>>>
>>>> Elizabeth.
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jamie
>>>> Principato via nabs-l
>>>> Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 6:31 PM
>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Cc: Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com>
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] A Struggling Blind Student Looking for Some
>>>> Advice
>>>>
>>>> The disability office probably has a tape recorder. Also, if you
>>>> don't understand a speech synthesizer, practice actually does help
>>>> with
>>> that. It's
>>>> just like how toddlers don't understand grown up speech until
>>>> they've listened to it a lot. A big part of it is to not throw ideas
>>>> out with an "I can't" or "I'll never be able to" right off the bat.
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>>>> On Jan 29, 2016, at 3:35 PM, Elizabeth Mohnke via nabs-l
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Hello All,,
>>>>>
>>>>> If I cannot understand the voice from NVDA then what good is it
>>>>> going to be for me to practice using it? No amount of practice is
>>>>> going to change this for me.
>>>>>
>>>>> The only recording device I have is a Victor Stream. So how exactly
>>>>> would this option work for me? It would seem to me the only way to
>>>>> allow my professor to listen to my answers would be to give her my
>>>>> victor stream. I would not feel comfortable doing this because I
>>>>> have all my reading materials on it. And since the victor stream
>>>>> has its own special recording format, I cannot just simply save a
>>>>> copy of the recording and send it to my professor.
>>>>>
>>>>> It seems as though there would be too many logistics for this option.
>>>>> And I have absolutely no idea if the disabilities office would
>>>>> allow such an accommodation. The disabilities office seems to be
>>>>> rather controlling in what it is willing to approve of as an
>> accommodation.
>>>>>
>>>>> Elizabeth
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> From: Mikayla Gephart [mailto:mikgephart at icloud.com]
>>>>> Sent: Friday, January 29, 2016 5:13 PM
>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Cc: Elizabeth Mohnke <lizmohnke at hotmail.com>
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] A Struggling Blind Student Looking for Some
>>>>> Advice
>>>>>
>>>>> Elizabeth, I understand some of the frustration. We are not at all
>>>>> implying that a training center would solve all your problems. How
>>>>> many of our members have left a training center, only to still need
>>>>> help with their colleges? could you practice with NVDA from
>>>>> wherever you are emailing right now? The more you practice, the better.
>>>>> Blindness and health problems do not have to stop you from living
>>>>> the life
>>>> y want.
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent from my iPad
>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Jan 29, 2016, at 5:02 PM, Elizabeth Mohnke via nabs-l
>>>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello All,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I honestly wish I had never posted my email to this email list. I
>>>>>> really
>>>>> hate the fact that it just seems like all you are wanting to do is
>>>>> tell me that an NFB training center is somehow going to solve all
>>>>> the problems in my life. Even if I could ever go to an NFB training
>>>>> center, I will probably never gain the Braille skills necessary to
>>>>> be able to use them in a testing situation.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I have never used a smart phone before, so this option would not
>>>>>> work for
>>>>> me. There is absolutely no way I would be able to learn how to use
>>>>> it good enough to use for a test that is in two weeks. I am already
>>>>> trying to catch up in this class after being sick, so I am not
>>>>> looking to add anything more to my plate than what is already on it.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Using NVDA sounds like a good option, but again, I have never used
>>>>>> it
>>>>> before, and I cannot understand the voice that comes with it . So I
>>>>> am not quite sure how this option would work for me.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I am sorry that I am not able to fight my college and the
>>>>>> vocational
>>>>> rehabilitation all on my own. The Client Assistant Program does not
>>>>> do much of anything here. And no one in the NFB has never really
>>>>> been willing to help me either. All I wanted to do was to find a
>>>>> way to pass this class. But it looks as though I simply do not have
>>>>> the support, resources, and capacity to do the things I wanted to
>>>>> be able to
>>>> do before my accident.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I should have never signed up to take this class. I really did not
>>>>>> have
>>>>> the money to pay for it in the first place, and right now it just
>>>>> feels like this was only a waste of my money. And I should just
>>>>> learn that I am never going to be the same person that I was before my
>> accident.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Elizabeth
>>>>>>
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