[nabs-l] More Questions Regarding Qualified Readers

[Vejas Vasiliauskas]

Hi Elizabeth,
I didn't know that there was such a thing as a "qualified" 
reader"-I have learned that there are volunteer and paid readers.  
I would think that the ideal math and science reader should be 
able to understand how to do all the basic math and science 
symbols.
I have a math reader.  I have the book in Braille, but it is to 
clarify with diagrams.  She's a freshman at my college also, and 
took the material I am currently taking last semester, so it is 
nice and fresh in her mind.  (As I mentioned awhile back in one 
of my other emails to you, my Disability Services chooses readers 
by departments, although I fully understand that yours are not 
willing.)
I think the 2 best options are:
1.  Department of Rehab: How flexible are they? Ideally they 
should be able to pay for you to have a human reader if your DSS 
are unwilling.
2.  Find your own reader via church, putting up posters, or maybe 
even emailing your Dean? They might be able to connect you with 
some people.  Explain that you're looking for someone with basic 
math and science abilities.  Then I sofest interviewing them.  
Since you already tried to take that course this semester, you 
may already have some worksheets available.  Then you could ask 
them questions like, "What does this say?" Or "Can you read 
this?"
So I think your ideal reader should:
1.  Understand basic math and science skills (if they understand 
advanced, even better)
2.  Be willing to work with you and take your commands such as 
"slower" and "faster"
3.  Not have too heavy an accent.
Hope this helps,
Vejas


 ----- Original Message -----
From: Elizabeth Mohnke via NABS-L <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>,NFB Science and Engineering Division List 
<nfb-science at nfbnet.org>, "NFB ofMichigan Internet Mailing List" 
<nfbmi-talk at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Tue, 7 Mar 2017 19:46:34 +0000
Subject: [nabs-l] More Questions Regarding Qualified Readers

Hello All,

Please forgive the multiple posts.  However, after sending my 
previous email, I was wondering if there might be any kind of 
standers or guidelines for reading materials for math or science 
classes.  If there are any credible sources for standards or 
guidelines for reading materials for math or science classes, 
perhaps this might help me establish a good definition of a 
qualified reader for my math classes.

I understand some of you may believe that Braille is the only way 
to go in terms of being able to access materials for math 
classes.  However, as I have already indicated, I do not know 
Braille well enough to use for my math classes.  And as someone 
who grew up sighted, most of the time it is just easier for 
someone to read me a simple graphic or chart than it is for me to 
figure out how to read this information in Braille.

The types of graphics and charts that were included in the math 
class that I tried to take this semester included such things as 
number lines and a chart that was like an excel spreadsheet 
listing names of cities down one Colum and temperatures going 
down another Colum.  I am not quite sure what might be included 
in the other math classes that I need to take to meet the 
university math requirement for the university I would like to be 
able to transfer to after completing my associates degree.

I am not looking to complete advance math classes here.  I am 
simply trying to take what is required to meet the transfer 
requirements.  However, I am not quite sure how to go about 
fulfilling my math requirement when the disabilities office at 
the community college that I attend does not appear to work with 
me so I can gain equal access to the course required for my math 
classes.

I do not know how else to gain access to the course materials 
required for my math classes, and so far the college does not 
agree with me on what constitutes as a qualified reader.  So 
again, any assistance anyone could provide in helping me find a 
credible source for a good clear definition of qualified reader 
would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Elizabeth
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