[Ohio-Talk] looking for help.

[Christopher Sabine]

Shane.

I think I'd start by reaching out to Disability Rights Ohio, which is the protection and advocacy organization for people with disabilities in Ohio (800) 282-9181. You can't be discriminated against or referred to a separate program because of your blindness, and the program providing your GED must accommodate you, but unfortunately it takes some real networking and persistence to make this happen.

Good Luck. Please keep us posted.

Chris

-----Original Message-----
From: Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Shane Popplestone via Ohio-Talk
Sent: Monday, July 11, 2022 4:05 PM
To: NFB of Ohio Announcement and Discussion List <ohio-talk at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Shane Popplestone <shane.davidson at icloud.com>
Subject: [Ohio-Talk] looking for help.

Hello fellow Ohio Federationists,
I write you today with a bit of a horrifying issue, that I hope my response may result in it going away, but if it doesn't help will be needed.
A bit of background.
I'm 35, and due to stupidity on my part in 2007, (we're allowed to be stupid in our younger days, right? lol), I dropped out of and never finished highschool.
I never really considered going back until about 7 years ago, and that was good, I started the process then moved to the US in late 2017/early 2018.
I began the process of mygrating permanently at that time, but then covid kicked everything to a grinding stand still. This put an almost three year hault on the world, but everyone knows that, right? lol.
Earlier this year I finally got things back and rolling and last week, I contacted my chosen college to begin the process of aquiring my GED and transitioning to a college program, major, etc. to be determined later.
The aspire program (offered by most community colleges, some with better results than others) is the pathway that will permit me to complete this process.
Due to the fact I really don't like the accessibility services department at the college closer to me and the fact that don't have space now (originally they weren't offering it), anyhow they don't have space until the *end* of next year, I contacted a farther away college.
I won't throw my chosen college under the bus yet, as I'm stilll trying to resolve this on my own, but in speaking with the head of the aspire program at that college, I was informed, with due horror too me mind you, that she was contacting other colleagues as she thinks their's a specific program for visually impaired students that would be a better fit then taking the mainstream aspire program.
I so informed her that I wasn't interested in taking, what I called and maybe it wasn't the right term, a sheltered program for the visually impaired, I wanted to take the aspire program offered by yours and other colleges around the nation.
If she continues down this path does someone know who I might reach out to help me turn this around?
I'm hoping my message to the head of the program results in her realizing she's made the wrong assumption, but you never know and I'd rather have all the necessary tools in my back pocket.
Thanks.
Shane

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