[nfbcs] FW: your advice would be appreciatedFW: [List] Handling

Thu Jun 27 01:28:46 UTC 2013

emacs-orgmode can handle lists and lots more.  A google search for 
org-mode tutorial ought to make that crystal clear.  Originally 
developed in the Linux environment, people have org-mode working with 
emacs in windows environment now.  http://www.org-mode.org/ is the home 
page.

On Tue, 25 Jun 2013, Gary Wunder wrote:

> Folks, can you help me in helping a student who wants to know if it is
> realistic for him to take a class in computer design?
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> Gary
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mary ellen [mailto:gabias at telus.net]
> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 2:25 PM
> To: Wunder, Gary
> Subject: your advice would be appreciatedFW: [List] Handling
> 
> Hi Gary,
> 
> I just received the following correspondence from and about a student who is
> part of CFB.  I don't know enough about the specific issues to answer him.
> This strikes me as one more example of us playing catch up with software
> that isn't accessible in any meaningful way.  Is he right to drop the
> course, or is the teacher being a grump?  Are there alternative ways to
> demonstrate proficiency with the concepts but using different software as
> Eric suggests?  The teacher says "My main concern is that this is a design
> course, and as such it is a highly visual course. Some of the concerns I
> have are documented in my earlier e-mail - in addition to that, there is a
> module on creating Flash Video in the course and I am pretty sure that this
> will be problematic, and I am not sure how Karl-Erik will be able to perform
> tasks such as using an eyedropper tool to sample colours from an image when
> developing a colour scheme for a website.."  Is that correct, or is it an
> example of a sighted person believing lots of things are too visual for us
> to grasp.  Would working with a reader help?  So many blind people don't
> even consider that option these days.
> 
> Sorry to hit you with these questions so close to convention.  I'd say leave
> it until afterw Orlando, but then you have the Convention Roundup to write.
> 
> 
> I thought you did a masterful job with the sad Oklahoma story.  Mike's a
> very bright guy who cares a lot!  It's a shame that he self-destructed.  The
> entire June issue was good, as is true with the Monitor generally.
> 
> Mary Ellen
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: karl-erik at Sonvisen.com [mailto:karl-erik at Sonvisen.com]
> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 11:16 AM
> To: list at cfb.ca
> Subject: [List] Handling
> 
> 
> As of May,  I'm enrolled this fall for a full course load, and while sorting
> out textbooks, a teacher whom I've had before, emails the school's
> disability resource center concerning their course's accessibility. To
> summarize, this was one of the last lines in the email:
> 
> Quote
> : "I don't want to be faced with the highly time-consuming task of
> recreating course materials and exams for a single use."
> Unquote
> 
> This is perhaps the most insulting thing I've ever heard, to me as a
> disabled person, to all students, and to the school itself.
> 
> The crux of the matter is that the course is a web design and maintenance
> course using specific and very expensive software to achieve results that
> I've known how to do since middle school using notepad. However, because of
> the specific programs used, I'm not able to challenge the course without the
> unfair disadvantage of not knowing those programs, even though I know how to
> achieve the desired results perhaps/probably better than the other students.
> 
> I understand this is a highly visual course, however, I'm not the one who
> decided to make it mandatory for their bachelor program, and I'm not the one
> who put it together using ninaccessible software. regardless, I will likely
> end up seeking an alternative course simply to avoid this teacher.
> 
> Anyways, I'd like to know if anyone has any other suggestions on handling
> this? I've attached the teacher's previous emails for your perusal.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> Karl-Erik
> 
> Most recent email:
> 
> No I have no objection to you copying my e-mail and sending it to Karl-Erik.
> 
> He took another course from me earlier (BUS 141), but this was a much less
> visual course and this still seemed to present some problems for him.
> Also, we had to rewrite all of our exams in BUS 140 as the screen reader was
> unable to work with the Flash based simulations in MyITLab, which was very
> time consuming for us as they were only used the one-time.
> 
> My main concern is that this is a design course, and as such it is a highly
> visual course. Some of the concerns I have are documented in my earlier
> e-mail - in addition to that, there is a module on creating Flash Video in
> the course and I am pretty sure that this will be problematic, and I am not
> sure how Karl-Erik will be able to perform tasks such as using an eyedropper
> tool to sample colours from an image when developing a colour scheme for a
> website..
> 
> In addition to my concerns about the highly visual nature of a design
> course, there is also the issue of the Adobe Creative Suite software. We
> have a limited set of licenses which are all in use in our dedicated lab as
> the licenses are very expensive. The issue will be with exams for which we
> cannot supply a license for DRC, or for Karl-Eric's personal use. We use
> Adobe CS6 - I am not sure if this is available anymore as Adobe has replaced
> it with a cloud based version (CS7) for which you have to pay a monthly fee.
> We are staying with CS6 as we already have the licenses for it, but I am
> unsure as to Adobe's policy about selling CS 6 - I know that you cannot buy
> earlier versions of software from Microsoft for example. We also use a very
> old version of ExamView for course quizzes and for part of the final exam
> and I don't know if the screen reader software is capable of reading the
> question and answer choices from this tool.
> 
> While I fully support the work that DRC does to help students, and fully
> support DRC students in my courses, I am very anxious about having a blind
> student in a design course that relies so heavily on the visual aspects of
> design, and I don't want to be faced with the highly time-consuming task of
> recreating course materials and exams for a single use.
> 
> It is for these reasons that I am wondering if another course would be a
> more suitable choice for someone with Karl-Eric's specific disability.
> End most recent email.
> 
> Start first email, (sent to a DRC Counsellor):
> 
> I wanted to check in with you before I answer Karl regarding the textbook
> and software as I am wondering if a website design course is an appropriate
> course for a blind student to take. The issue is that much of this course is
> visual - we use graphic design software (Photoshop) to process photographs
> (cropping, colour contrast, contrast and brightness, levels, and sharpening
> for example), and we use Fireworks to develop website banners, buttons, and
> filler graphics. These are all highly visual tasks. In addition, we use CSS
> for page layout (Dreamweaver), and students must be able to see if they have
> "column-drops" and other broken layout issues. I am not sure that screen
> reader software is capable of supporting these tasks in the web design
> environment.
> 
> End first email.
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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