[nabs-l] Rehab Counselors, and ignorance of blindness

Fri Jan 13 02:24:54 UTC 2012

Hi Joshua and all,
I agree with others that calling a Pac Mate a PacMan is an honest
mistake and not a big deal, but I also suspect that what Joshua is
annoyed about is not really the word mixup but a lot more than that.
Based on your other posts, it seems you are aggravated with the
incompetence that we often find in the VR system in general. I just
want to say I think the frustration is normal and OK and, indeed, I
have voiced it myself when attempting to help students who have been
short-changed by the system. The VR concept is a great one, but the
system designed to implement it has a lot of serious problems for
which there are no easy solutions yet-underfunding, lack of qualified
personnel etc. Joshua, I would encourage you to try to depend on VR as
little as you possibly can by seeing what other resources you have
available to you-like others have suggested, Lions Clubs, technology
loans etc. It's great if VR has agreed to purchase the technology for
you, but if they are taking their time about it, you'll want to see if
you can come up with a backup plan-even if it's something not quite as
good as a Pac Mate-in case the approval doesn't go through like it is
supposed to. At the least, you'll want to find a way to complete your
class assignments using the technology you currently have in case your
Pac Mate doesn't arrive in a timely manner.
>From reading your posts I also get the sense that you don't feel quite
in control of your educational decisions and then you feel frustrated
when choices are made for you that you don't agree with. Again this is
totally understandable. Are there things you can do to gain more
control over when and how you choose your classes? This might not be
an issue if you are graduating this semester, but if you are not, can
you try to register for classes early so you have more time to order
materials in Braille? Or, perhaps you can email professors even before
you sign up for their classes to ask what books they will be using.
Some professors won't know yet, but some of the old-time ones who use
the same book for twenty years will, and often even if the book you
get is an edition behind everyone else's, it'll be almost the same
thing. There are things like emailing professors that you can do on
your own to gain more control. Also, you'll be best off if you meet
yourself with the advisor for your major or whomever sighted students
at your college meet with to get advice about classes rather than just
meeting with your DSB counselor. You might already be doing this, but
if not, then I would suggest you meet directly with the staff at your
college to make these registration choices instead of doing it with
your DSB counselor. I really think you will be a lot happier with your
choices if you do it this way. You will also benefit from career
advice from someone who is used to working with students. I hope this
is helpful and if I misunderstood anything you posted I apologize.
Also feel free to write me off-list if you have more specific
questions.
Best,
Arielle

On 1/12/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> David,
> Thanks and how offensive to hear a blind person call a pacmate that
> language. It’s a notetaker with a display designed with us in mind!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: David Andrews
> Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 4:42 AM
> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Rehab Counselors, and ignorance of blindness
>
> Please watch your language!  There are list members who take offense
> at the use of 4 letter words and the like and most of us could stand
> to use a little more civility in our lives in general.
>
> David Andrews, List Owner
>
> At 01:10 PM 1/11/2012, you wrote:
>
>>Joshua,
>>
>>What a self centered, insensitive response to workers who, as a rule are
>>way overworked! It isn't all about you and your PackMate which, in my
>>opinionis a piece of shit anyway.
>>Besides, are you trying to tell us that you have never used a wrong term,
>>particularly about something with which you have ZERO, familiarity?
>>PLEASE!
>>centeAt 08:02 AM 1/11/2012, Anjelina wrote:
>>>Joshua,
>>>I don't mean any disrespect, but could it have been a mistake by your
>>>rehab counselor?
>>>At times I mix up words or call items by different names; I don't think
>>>this is a matter of ignorance.
>>>
>>>-----Original Message----- From: Joshua Lester
>>>Sent: Wednesday, January 11, 2012 10:26 AM
>>>To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>>Subject: [nabs-l] Rehab Counselors, and ignorance of blindness
>>>
>>>Hi, it's Joshua Lester.
>>>I'd like to discuss a topic, that has come up, in my life.
>>>I was telling you, that I might receive a Pac Mate, from my Rehab office.
>>>I'm not sure, if I told you, that my Rehab counselor slipped, and
>>>called it a "Packman."
>>>That's crazy, because I thought rehab counselors should, at least,
>>>have some knowledge of assistive technology, for the blind, that
>>>they're supposed to be assisting.
>>>Has anyone had trouble in the past, with Rehab counselors, in regards to
>>>this?
>>>What can we do, to stop this ignorance from spreading, within the
>>>state VR system?
>>>Thanks, Joshua
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>Anjelina
>>>
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>>
>>
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