[nabs-l] More Questions About the Disabilities Office and Readers
Jameyanne Fuller
jameyanne at gmail.com
Tue Oct 25 23:04:30 UTC 2016
Hello Elizabeth,
Thank you for giving us more details. With this information, I totally agree
with Ashley. You had accommodations set up that you felt would be
reasonable, and now they want to change them, and they're not talking to you
about it? You're the one who knows what's best for you. They need to be
talking to you. They might have legitimate concerns that they're not giving
you the best accommodations, or there might be a good compromise you haven't
thought of, but you definitely need to be involved in this conversation if
you want to succeed in this class.
I have two suggestions that are not exclusive of each other:
First, if you have friends in the class or friends who have taken classes
from this professor, you might check with them about whether they've gone to
office hours and received similar treatment. This will give you some more
information. Maybe it's not you and he's just a terrible teacher. Or maybe
he's helpful to other students who come with questions. Both outcomes will
give you more information that might be helpful.
Second, since you've tried to talk to everyone involved without success, I'd
contact the department head and maybe also the dean of students and ask to
set up a meeting with the professor, the reader, the disabilities
coordinator, and yourself. Politely express your concerns with the
situation, and frame it around your desire to have the support to do well in
the class rather than your frustration at everyone involved. Do say you've
been having trouble discussing the matter with the professor, disabilities
services, and the reader, and you're hopeful the dean or department head can
help facilitate a conversation so you can solve this problem as soon as
possible.
I hope this is helpful. I'm sorry you're dealing with this situation.
Best,
Jameyanne
-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ashley Bramlett
via NABS-L
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 6:53 PM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] More Questions About the Disabilities Office and
Readers
Elizabeth,
I hope you do okay somehow in the class. It sounds like you doing what you
can. Its unethical what they are doing to you. As a student who paid for the
classes, you have a right to speak to people impacting your education. Your
disability coordinator should meet with you; what on earth is she so busy
that she cannot take one hour of her work week to talk. Your professor has
a responsibility to talk to you. You should report the professor!
You said
"I feel as though if there was an agreement for the disabilities office to
provide me with in-class assistance with a reader for the full duration of
the class period, and if the disabilities has somehow changed their
willingness to provide me with this service, or no longer wish to provide
this service to me, then this is a discussion either the person in charge of
the disabilities office or my assigned reader from the disabilities office
should be having with me and not my professor."
I agree Elizabeth! They need to discuss with you the change in attitude and
plans. I can only suggest that you communicate with the reader in class best
you can. Also, talk to the disability coordinator's supervisor after the
semester. And, if there is a way to file a complaint at the school, do so.
File a complaint with the office of equity and diversity or similar office.
If you want to chat off list, email bookwormahb at earthlink.net.
Take care,
Ashley
-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Mohnke via NABS-L
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 11:06 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Cc: Elizabeth Mohnke
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] More Questions About the Disabilities Office and
Readers
Hello Lizzy,
I am sorry you feel as though my feelings of frustration regarding some of
the responses I received from my most recent posts on this email list are
not warranted. However, there were some responses that I received that did
not come across to me as coming from a place of kindness that escalated
further off list that I simply did not appreciate.
I think your suggestions are good ones. However, they simply are not
applicable to my situation. My reader that is assigned to work with me from
the disabilities office is either not willing or is not able to talk to me
directly about any problems she may be having with me. I am not able to talk
to my professor as she is really not that great of a professor who simply
does not understand the concept that I want to be able to participate in
class as an equal. And the person in charge of the disabilities office is
not willing to talk to me either despite the emails I have sent her
requesting to meet with her.
Since the professor does not appear to be all accommodating, and likes to do
things rather randomly, including class activities using hard copy print
that needs to be handed in at the end of the class period. Also, not
necessarily everything on the print handouts can be read with a Screen
reader. However, I thought I would be able to make it through this class as
I felt as though I had a good working relationship with my reader. I figured
using a reader in class for the full duration of the class period would be
the best way to deal with the random teaching style of my professor.
However, this seemed to change all of a sudden last week. I am still not
completely sure what exactly is causing the problem. However, based on the
questions the person in charge of the disabilities office had for my
professor, it looks as though there might have been some questions as to
whether or not I really needed a reader for the full duration of my class
period. However, I can only assume this might be the problem as no one
appears to want to talk to me directly about anything in regards to this
issue.
I appreciate different perspectives regarding policies and procedures about
the person in charge of the disabilities office contacting my professor
without my permission or talking to me about it first. It seems as though
the people on here who have offered different perspectives either knew about
the person in charge of the disabilities office contacting the professor
ahead of time, or had a good relationship with the person in charge of the
disabilities office. Unfortunately, this is not the case for me. I cannot
even speak to the person in charge of the disabilities office in person or
over the phone as she is simply too busy to talk to me.
I feel as though if there was an agreement for the disabilities office to
provide me with in-class assistance with a reader for the full duration of
the class period, and if the disabilities has somehow changed their
willingness to provide me with this service, or no longer wish to provide
this service to me, then this is a discussion either the person in charge of
the disabilities office or my assigned reader from the disabilities office
should be having with me and not my professor.
I have already tried talking to my professor at the end of class as well as
during her office hours. However, the last time I showed up to her office
hours, she did not want to take the time to talk to me as she felt as though
my questions would be answered during class that day. It seemed as though
she was more interested in preparing for class than she was in talking to me
regarding the questions I had about concepts from class I was not
understanding based on the way she presented these concepts in class.
Likewise, the person in charge of the disabilities office is never available
to talk to whenever I have tried stopping by the Student Support Services
desk either. And this situation has caused a lot of tension and friction
between me and my assigned reader from the disabilities office to the point
that it makes it rather difficult to work with her. And I have absolutely no
idea how to talk to her in a more friendly manner when she is barely willing
to talk to me about anything besides course content materials.. In short, I
have tried all of the suggestions people are giving me, and nothing seems to
work to improve the situation.
Elizabeth
-----Original Message-----
From: NABS-L [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lizzy via
NABS-L
Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2016 9:27 AM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Cc: Lizzy <lizzym0827 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] More Questions About the Disabilities Office and
Readers
Hi Elizabeth,
Before I address the current situation, I just want to say that I wish
nothing but the best for you this semester. From what I've observed, you've
received a lot of thoughtful advice lately (as
far as the questions you've posted to this list). It may not
always be useful to you, but it is almost always thoughtful and from a place
of well wishing. That said, I don't think it's fair that when people take
the time out to respond to your questions you end the thread by saying that
you wish you never would have posted them in the first place. I know that
we may not understand your situation completely, but I don't understand why
you are treating the same people who want to help you (at your
request) with such disregard. It's very off putting and really makes me
hesitant to respond at all. But alas, I want to assist in any way I can and
even if a response doesn't help you today, hopefully it will help in the
future or maybe someone else in a similar situation. I said all that to
say, I genuinely hope this thread doesn't end like the previous one. Now,
on to the advice:
I agree with Justin, you don't want people making major decisions without
you present, but the way to bring this up is by showing that you are a
hands-on student. Meeting with the DS coordinator at your school so that
you can form a positive working relationship with that person, meeting with
your professors during office hours or scheduled appointments, meeting with
your reader and not always necessarily in an "OK, let's get to work" kind of
manner.
You discussed firing your reader (and the reason wasn't exactly clear to me
in your previous email), and paying someone else in coffee. If you can find
it in your heart to keep the reader you have and appreciate their services a
bit more (perhaps with a random coffee of appreciation?), you might have a
better relationship with that person as well.
Now that you know about these 3 people meeting with each other without your
prior knowledge, it's time to strengthen each relationship so that you can
get the result you want.
They will automatically think to include you, if they know you personally
because they'll value your opinion and want to know what you think. It
won't take too much time to grab a quick coffee, drop by office hours and
pop into the Disabilities Services office. You don't have to stay long or
do this every week, just get them to know your face and who you are as a
person. Someone who wants to do well, appreciates the work that these
people are putting in-everyone wants to be appreciated-and cares about how
things are done. Who wouldn't want to include someone like that?
There's no need to go into the situation with guns blazing, especially if
they want to be accommodating and you don't have the support behind you to
go all out. Remember that you'll catch more flies with honey and only want
to resort to vinegar if you must.
I really hope this helps you!
Best wishes,
Lizzy
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