[Nfbmo] employment question

[Susan Ford]

Jenny:

Hello.  It's been a long time, seems like.  Debbie and Dan have started you 
on the right track.  I think it is important for you to know exactly what 
programs you are required to use on the computer at work.  Some programs may 
work better with certain speech programs.  I know that you use Jaws, but 
what word processor does your work use?  What email do they use?  Do you 
fill out forms and if so, do you access them through a special program?  You 
may want RSB to ask for a rehab engineering eval to make sure that 
everything is compatible.  Your vision may be stable right now, but since 
with glaucoma your chance of losing vision may be higher, I would make sure 
everything is in place; the sooner the better.  That may mean those Braille 
skills too.  I think you know that large print is usable too, so perhaps 
Zoomtext plus or something that can be used with large print and speech is 
what you need.  You need to talk to someone like Gary, Denny Huff or Greg 
Mark to make sure everything is in order for you.  Your rehab counselor 
might help with discussing the situation with your supervisor, but you might 
choose to talk to someone like Dan, who has some of the same experiences 
with vision loss that you do.  Cari and Chris are both pretty knowledgable 
about computers too, and Bryan Schulz--all of whom live in St. Louis.  Oh, 
and Diana, Nancy Lynn and Fred.  And you know what Randy knows, but I think 
it would be better to keep him out of the situation, other than as your 
sounding board.  And probably a letter in your file from your rehab 
counselor would be good.  Don't turn in anything like that till you have 
read it.  If you have any questions about such a letter (how things are 
phrased) talk to Gary before you give it to your supervisor.  Sometimes 
doctors and counselors try to help and their comments are more damaging that 
it would have been if they said nothing.

Sorry to go on, but your question stimulates lots of others questions.

Susan Ford

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jenny Carmack" <jcarmack314 at gmail.com>
To: "NFB Listserv" <nfbmo at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 9:18 PM
Subject: [Nfbmo] employment question


> Hi everyone.  I have never posted on here before, although I read what
> everyone posts regualarly.  Anyway I have a question that I am pretty sure
> someone can answer.  First let me give you a little background 
> information.
> I am a mentor teacher for an early head start program in St. Louis city. 
> In
> this position I have many job duties from working as a teacher to training
> teachers to supervising teachers.  This program serves children who are 
> six
> weeks to three years old.  I have worked in this program for eight years.
> During this time I have worked under several different supervisors, most 
> of
> who have been supportive of me and worked with accomadations that I may
> need.  Two weeks ago a new director started and she wants us to move to
> using the computers more.  She does not seem very happy to hear that I 
> will
> have some trouble with this as none of the computers at my job have any
> speech or enlarging programs on them.  I can use a computer without any
> adaptation for a short while.  The new director has not said anything to 
> me
> about this, but her sighs and body language that come out when I try to 
> talk
> to her are making me uneasy. My eyesight has not changed over the past 
> eight
> years, but my job requirements have.   Several people have suggested that 
> I
> get my eye doctor to write a litter which would declare my disability to
> give to my employer to be placed on file.  My questions are,  Should I get
> this letter and what should this letter should be included in this letter
> and is there anything that should not be mentioned in this letter? 
> Thanks
> for your help.  Jenny Carmack
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