[blindkid] transition to college

Tue Jun 11 23:47:52 UTC 2013

Hi Debbie and all,

As a blind graduate student who transitioned to college ten years ago,
I have a few thoughts.
I have generally tried to work with DBS/voc rehab as little as
possible, and not to depend on them unless I have no other way. The
system is very broken, unfortunately, and too often, students are kept
waiting for long periods of time, or required to jump through
unnecessary hoops, to get things from them. I believe DBS support
should be reserved for the big things, like center training (more on
that in a bit). I suspect that Winona probably doesn't need as much
specialized technology as you may think. If she already has her own
laptop or netbook (netbooks only cost about $300) she can use that for
computer work and some notetaking. A Braille notetaker is great, but
she can also get a portable Braille display from APH for about $1800
that connects to the laptop and provides Braille access that way. She
can use a mainstream printer/scanner combo for any scanning needs,
rather than buying some kind of high-end scanner, and there is a free
OCR service called RoboBraille that I think is actually better than
buying Kurzweil or Open Book. If she is going to school in-state, and
is a strong student academically, there may be tuition scholarships
available or she may qualify for disability-related tuition assistance
that isn't directly part of DBS. In some states students can get O&M
and other skill training without being a client of the voc rehab
system. I would suggest investigating alternative options for
technology and tuition assistance now, so that she has some options
and isn't required to depend on a broken system. Even if she does
decide to get some things purchased through DBS, it is always nice for
her to have backups. In my own case, because I was an in-state student
with good grades my tuition was automatically waived, and then I won
an NFB scholarship that was just the right amount for me to get a
Braille Note. There may be local organizations such as Lions Clubs who
would be willing to donate technology without making her jump through
a lot of hoops, and again, I don't think Winona will need much
specialized technology other than perhaps a Braille display or Braille
notetaker, one purchase that will last for a long time.

Now, as for center training, I have heard that Florida can be quite
stubborn about sending people to NFB centers, but the law is on your
side. Winona is legally allowed to attend the training center of her
choice even if it isn't the least expensive option for the state. She
may need to explain why an NFB center is superior to one in Florida,
but there are several good reasons. I would suggest you or she talk to
the director of whichever summer program she is interested in
attending. Sometimes NFB summer programs have funds to help students
attend if their rehab agencies refuse to sponsor them. And I know they
have done it before in Florida, if anyone says otherwise.

Deciding when to go for training is a very individual choice. Many
students benefit from going right after high school. I didn't because
I had a scholarship which wasn't easy to defer, so I waited until
after college. I did OK in college doing everything on my own, but
still gained a lot from going for training. It really just depends on
her current skills and confidence.

Best,
Arielle

On 6/11/13, Kim Gulf Images <kim at gulfimagesphoto.com> wrote:
> Debbie,
> I can't believe Winona is getting ready for college! What great news! I will
> share with you the advice given to us. That advice was to attend rehab
> training prior to entering college. Most said they found life too full to do
> it after college graduation as they were busy trying to find jobs, paying
> off college loans, or starting a family. This advice was from NFB college
> students at the time. Our DBS caseworker also tried to persuade Kayleigh to
> attend our state rehab facility. It was my understanding that Kayleigh was
> legally allowed to attend the training facility of her choice. We stood by
> that law and DBS ended up paying for her training at LCB. I don't believe
> she would have had the success of living on a campus and attending classes
> without her training. We live 3 hours away and knew she would have to take
> care of every need herself.
> Good luck in whatever decision you make!
> Regards,
> kim Cunningham
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Jun 11, 2013, at 3:23 PM, Carol Castellano <carol_castellano at verizon.net>
> wrote:
>
>> Debby,
>>
>> Where does the time go???
>>
>> A couple of thoughts:
>>
>> Technology
>> Orienting to the campus
>> Reader service
>> Ability to self-advocate
>>
>> Carol
>>
>> Carol Castellano
>> Parents of Blind Children-NJ
>> Director of Programs
>> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
>> 973-377-0976
>> carol_castellano at verizon.net
>> www.blindchildren.org
>> www.nfb.org/parents-and-teachers
>> At 11:34 AM 6/11/2013, you wrote:
>>> I've been more of a lurker this year. I finally landed a teaching
>>> position, Winona had lots going on with marching band and concert band
>>> seasons, her brother kept us busy with sports every season, my mom passed
>>> away, and our garden flourished. It was a busy year!
>>>
>>> We have our meeting with FL's Division of Blind Services (DBS) next
>>> Tuesday to begin transitioning Winona to college. Yes! College! I cannot
>>> believe it. DBS is notorious for saying, "no," and for being incredibly
>>> slow. Therefore we are starting the process now.
>>>
>>> Any suggestions of things we need to put into place so that Winona is
>>> ready for college in the fall of 2014? General, as well as specific.
>>> suggestions would be appreciated. Any great arguments that we can present
>>> to them to get some of the things she will need?
>>>
>>>
>>> So far they have said, "no," to every student we know who has requested
>>> NFB training camp that summer before college. Any great arguments for
>>> that? Winona knows she would benefit and really wants to attend one of
>>> them.
>>>
>>> Thanks for the suggestions!
>>>
>>>
>>> Debby
>>> bwbddl at yahoo.com
>>>
>>> ~"Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can
>>> read."~Mark Twain
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>>
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