[nabs-l] Why are you even taking a bio lab?

Mon Nov 8 14:18:22 UTC 2010

Hi,
I think I'll throw my two cents in here. I am majoring in Special
Education, to go on to Graduate School for a Master's in Special
Education of the Blind. I plan on becoming a TVI in a public school
system. You might tell me "Why ae you going to take Biology?" I plan
on taking two Biology classes, and worse yet (in some people's
opinions), two courses in Astronomy, one of my absolute favourite
subjects. Just because accommodations have to be made and struggles
will occur doesn't mean a blind student should avoid those classes. I
love astronomy, but can only see light and colour, so should I not
take an astronomy class, which is traditionally graphic heavy?
Adaptations can be made, and the more of us that take these classes,
the more the classes will be accessible to us.

I'll give an example of adaptations: For Astronomy I plan on buying a
small LiteBrite. This is a board on which pegs are placed (I'm not
sure of the dimensions, but I think it's something like 30 by 30
pegs). Then, the switch is turned and the board lights up the pegs
(the board is opaque, so the light goes only in the pegs, which are
clear plastic in various colours). This is my tool for looking at
constellations, solar systems, solar flares, and all sorts of
astronomical phenomenae. This will require the assistance of a reader,
of course, who will place the (previously-made) pictures on the
LiteBrite and place the pegs in the right places to make the picture
visible to me appropriately (I can also feel the pegs for a tactile
input). Then, the pictures can be placed in  a folder with a Braille
label of what they are and/or a Brailled description of the picture.
For studying, I can then take the picture out with the holes already
prepared, place it on the board, and put the pegs in myself based on
the already existing holes.

The other thing I plan on using is Wikisticks. Most of you know what
these are, flexible sticks of various colours that can be shaped into
most anything, kinda like pipe cleaners but without the fuzziness,
which can distract tactilely. The wikisticks will be used for shaping
quick illustrations (A circle hre, with a line extending out to show a
solar flare, or a large circle here and little circles showing where
the planets are in that solar system. They could even show an
elliptical or spiral solar system's basic shape.

I wish all the textbook's illustrations could be made tactile like
those in "Touch the Sun" and the other books in that series, as I
absolutely LOVE those books, and have read all but the last one (I
haven't gotten my hands on a copy of that one yet, which I don't
remember the name of).

The point is, science is important to everyone and blind students
should not avoid scinece classes just because they know it'll be more
difficult. The more of us that take science classes, and the more the
NFB works toward access to science and math classes for the blind, the
better it'll get. There are people working hard to make scinece
classes more accessible to the blind...take a look at the latest
laboratory tools now available. And what about the person who was just
on here asking about accessible games because his group is working on
an accessible virtual dissection? And at NC State, they are working
hard to produce a full-page refreshable Braille display. When that's
made, Braille pictures will be able to be seen with eBraille,
illustrating everything from a helicopter to the Eiffel Tower to the
differences in different rays (gamma, radio, micro, etc).

Science and Math are very important to everyone, not just the sighted,
and we have to work hard to make sure it's available to us. Let's not
ask again "Why are you even taking a biology class?" You might as well
ask why someone is taking a computer class (computers weren't always
all that accessible) or why someone is take a Communications class (a
large part of Interpersonal Communications class here is Non-verbal
communication...which most people with visual impairments have trouble
seeing!). Or we might even ask "Why are you even going to college?"

My rant,

On 11/8/10, Jamie Principato <blackbyrdfly at gmail.com> wrote:
> I don't have much to say here. I certainly value the opinions of others, and
> their right to have them, but speaking as a student who has been fighting
> for access to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math courses at my own
> university, and one who has been asked before why I don't simply switch to a
> major that doesn't require such courses, or simply get through the ones I
> need and avoid any other sciences, I have to say that it really does make me
> sick to my stomach to see someone ask the *future* of the organized blind a
> question about lab access and be met with a statement like the subject line
> of this e-mail. I think it's because a good number of blind students feel
> this way, because we're so quick to avoid potential access issues and let
> someone else fight the good fight that anyone needs to fight to begin with.
> I think this is, in part, why blind students can walk into Biology or
> Chemistry or Physics labs across the country and be told that the lab
> coordinator simply has no idea how they can possibly be successful in that
> particular course. They ask theselves the same question asked here. Why
> would this student even try to take this class if they can't see to do it
> efficiently?
>
> I'm sorry if you disagree with me... very sorry, in fact. I just can't stand
> to watch blind people reach this particular dead end in their search for
> access advice without making my two cents available.
>
> As for the access issue itself, I agree with the person who suggested asking
> very specific questions, though when you don't know what you're looking for,
> it can sometimes be hard tot hink of which questions to ask. You might
> consider making a list of the things you'd think you should know about,
> size, color, movement patterns, etc, and show this to your professor. He or
> she can likely let you know if you're missing some key piece of information
> for your data.
>
> -Jamie
>
> On Mon, Nov 8, 2010 at 12:01 AM, Cindy Bennett <clb5590 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> You might not use it again, but everyone going onto grad school will
>> be so thankful that they learned it. Even if they don't use that same
>> program, they'll at least have statistical software experience, and
>> that is better than nothing when you have to analyze your own data for
>> a thesis, but I understand how this process has been frustrating for
>> you.
>>
>> And, even if someone is not majoring in the sciences but has an
>> interest in a class, then I don't think they should avoid it because
>> of blindness, but that goes into a whole other issue. I just thought I
>> would share a different opinion. I had a very positive experience with
>> biology.
>>
>> Cindy
>>
>> On 11/7/10, Ian Perrault <iperrault at hotmail.com> wrote:
>> > I'm majoring in Public Administration, thank god not Biology! It's just
>> an
>> > Introduction to Statistical Analysis course, just basic Statistics, and
>> we
>> > need this stupid program. I don't know why, because I'll probably never
>> use
>> > it again!
>> >
>> >
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Cindy Bennett
>> uNC Wilmington Psychology major
>>
>> clb5590 at gmail.com
>> 828.989.5383
>>
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-- 
~Jewel
Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com