Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Accommodations (self.Blind)
submitted by Fit1mac2
I used to have a little vision, and received low vision accommodations. I recently had a sudden vision loss. I am not able to read the print. Will you share what kind of accommomodations your college provides for you? Also, do they provide assistance for you in getting to class since you cannot see? Thank you.
pokersnek 6 points 5y ago
The biggest thing about education is that you have the right to access any notes, handouts, or other materials at the same time that your other classmates do. So, if there’s a handout, they need to have it in Braille or audio accessible format for you.
You can get extended time to take tests and quizzes. You can get a note taker. Most importantly, you can get time off from school o get training in areas you need help with, like Braille, Mobility skills, living skills, etc.
You can get extended time to take tests and quizzes. You can get a note taker. Most importantly, you can get time off from school o get training in areas you need help with, like Braille, Mobility skills, living skills, etc.
AllHarlowsEve 6 points 5y ago
They can provide someone to help you take notes and get around, but generally it's more tech and stuff like that, so a braille display, OCR software to read print, things like that.
You should be getting training in the meantime to learn to use a screen reader, a cane, and other various things that might be more useful.
You should be getting training in the meantime to learn to use a screen reader, a cane, and other various things that might be more useful.
TheBlindBookLover 3 points 5y ago
Hi. I would also add to look into registering with your state’s department of Rehabilitation agency if you live in the U.S.
estj136 2 points 5y ago
Notetaker, extended time, working it out with teachers to get electronic handouts notes or whatever, e-mails are wonderful. Recorded lectures, test in alternative area and with assistive technology access. Alternative media. School will scan and put your book on a file. I ask specifically for .docx. E-mailed comments on tests and paper. I sometimes honestly approach teachers and ask for verbal comments. What did I get on that, and why? A reduced load. I take 6 units right now.
Priority registration I think is a state school thing. Priority seating is possible useful when recording. Honestly if you want to be noticed too it’s super useful.
Access to braille matterials but not really super necessary except for science and math. I have the AP style book in braille though, and some reference books it’s useful, sort of.
Access to assistive tech lab 8if your school has one. If you do work on school computer or if it’s a possibility assistive tech. I was a journalism major for a bit and I could use their computers or bring my own. You have an absolute right to not bring your own, and have install jaws or something.
You have the option for a reader or writer. I had a writer, super useful for stem type stuff. I couldn’t draw graphs, I couldn’t connect lines so I had other people draw it so it would be accurate.
In class aid/lab assistant.
Very useful in science. I can only imagine just how many chemicals I’d blow up If I was alone. Hahahaha! So I would have someone to help me pour and look at chemicals. I also don’t want to touch them. I need my finger, thank you very much. Hahahaha!
I actually took geology, and I could definitely see the color of the rocks, not read fossil records or see other stuff like that. Someone described them.
I think I had extended homework time too.
Priority registration I think is a state school thing. Priority seating is possible useful when recording. Honestly if you want to be noticed too it’s super useful.
Access to braille matterials but not really super necessary except for science and math. I have the AP style book in braille though, and some reference books it’s useful, sort of.
Access to assistive tech lab 8if your school has one. If you do work on school computer or if it’s a possibility assistive tech. I was a journalism major for a bit and I could use their computers or bring my own. You have an absolute right to not bring your own, and have install jaws or something.
You have the option for a reader or writer. I had a writer, super useful for stem type stuff. I couldn’t draw graphs, I couldn’t connect lines so I had other people draw it so it would be accurate.
In class aid/lab assistant.
Very useful in science. I can only imagine just how many chemicals I’d blow up If I was alone. Hahahaha! So I would have someone to help me pour and look at chemicals. I also don’t want to touch them. I need my finger, thank you very much. Hahahaha!
I actually took geology, and I could definitely see the color of the rocks, not read fossil records or see other stuff like that. Someone described them.
I think I had extended homework time too.
silverclaud22 1 points 5y ago
Yup everything that he said.
As others on here have said definitely find out your state’s rehabilitation institution. In Florida, where I am, it is The Florida Division of Blind Services. They have been extremely helpful and provide a lot of support for getting you on track to a career. They can even help pay for your education. They also bought me a Macbook Pro with voiceover, a scanner, and a printer. These are all things that will help me in acheiving our shared goal of self sustainability. They also got me mobility training and the mobility teacher showed me around the campus and helped me map out and strategize where my classes are. They also can pay for your books.
At the school you will want to work with disability services. With a receipt of your books and some paperwork you should be able to get your books in alternative formats. I chose PDF versions of the books and use the Voice Dream App on my ipad to have the books read to me. It is a really useful app. Takes some getting used to, but once you’re used to it it is excellent. You can even ask for the school’s office of disability services or the rehab institution of the state to break the books up into the assigned readings. Pages 11-34 for example, can be put into one file. This way you don’t have to try and figure out what page to stop on, or on what page to begin.
You also need to learn to be a good advocate for yourself. A lot of people will ask you what you need rather than make suggestions, so be prepared. Extra time for exams and assignments, notetakers, scribes, readers, even a private room for testing are all reasonable accommodations. If your school has the capability of recording classes and giving you access to the recorded lectures you may want to ask for that as well. This is what I receive in lieu of a note taker. Be prepared for some push back because some schools want to do the minimum required. If this is the case get what you can and then use your improvements as reasons why more accommodations would help to maximize your potential.
When it comes to giving presentations or speaking. I’ve been working on listening to a pre-recorded script while talking. Kind of like tele prompting but audio rather than visual. I’ll put a bluetooth earbud in my ear and hold a remote in my hand that connects with my phone or ipad and play the recording. I like to use prompts rather than a full script . So it will read me the key points in my ear that I read aloud then I get into detail about it. Then i hit play for the next point and talk about it, and so on. Super helpful. I can hide the earbud with my hair and most people don’t notice the remote if I am at the podium so it looks really natural and a lot of people are impressed that I don’t use notecards. However, listening to something while speaking takes some skill. You have to start with the audio slowed down and talk along with it. Then you can slowly build up speed. No one has ever denied me this accommodation.
If you have more questions feel free to reach out.
As others on here have said definitely find out your state’s rehabilitation institution. In Florida, where I am, it is The Florida Division of Blind Services. They have been extremely helpful and provide a lot of support for getting you on track to a career. They can even help pay for your education. They also bought me a Macbook Pro with voiceover, a scanner, and a printer. These are all things that will help me in acheiving our shared goal of self sustainability. They also got me mobility training and the mobility teacher showed me around the campus and helped me map out and strategize where my classes are. They also can pay for your books.
At the school you will want to work with disability services. With a receipt of your books and some paperwork you should be able to get your books in alternative formats. I chose PDF versions of the books and use the Voice Dream App on my ipad to have the books read to me. It is a really useful app. Takes some getting used to, but once you’re used to it it is excellent. You can even ask for the school’s office of disability services or the rehab institution of the state to break the books up into the assigned readings. Pages 11-34 for example, can be put into one file. This way you don’t have to try and figure out what page to stop on, or on what page to begin.
You also need to learn to be a good advocate for yourself. A lot of people will ask you what you need rather than make suggestions, so be prepared. Extra time for exams and assignments, notetakers, scribes, readers, even a private room for testing are all reasonable accommodations. If your school has the capability of recording classes and giving you access to the recorded lectures you may want to ask for that as well. This is what I receive in lieu of a note taker. Be prepared for some push back because some schools want to do the minimum required. If this is the case get what you can and then use your improvements as reasons why more accommodations would help to maximize your potential.
When it comes to giving presentations or speaking. I’ve been working on listening to a pre-recorded script while talking. Kind of like tele prompting but audio rather than visual. I’ll put a bluetooth earbud in my ear and hold a remote in my hand that connects with my phone or ipad and play the recording. I like to use prompts rather than a full script . So it will read me the key points in my ear that I read aloud then I get into detail about it. Then i hit play for the next point and talk about it, and so on. Super helpful. I can hide the earbud with my hair and most people don’t notice the remote if I am at the podium so it looks really natural and a lot of people are impressed that I don’t use notecards. However, listening to something while speaking takes some skill. You have to start with the audio slowed down and talk along with it. Then you can slowly build up speed. No one has ever denied me this accommodation.
If you have more questions feel free to reach out.
estj136 1 points 5y ago
First I am not offended. But I am a female. Hahahaha! Just highly amused, especially with this moniker I am more often termed as him especially if they know what exactly it means because there are more masculine people who have my MBTI type that’s what I go by. Besides us Ladies act like guys anyway. Hahaha! Well, not exactly, but not really feminine.
I will reply to the poster so the OP gets my suggestions, but it really depends on VR, some states and parts of states are better, sometimes depends on city..
I will reply to the poster so the OP gets my suggestions, but it really depends on VR, some states and parts of states are better, sometimes depends on city..
silverclaud22 1 points 5y ago
Haha my apologies miss. It is hard to tell gender in text. I didn’t know that was your MBTI type. I have read some of your other posts and i just assumed. Lol I guess it makes sense that your personality might come off masculine if that personality type is more prevalent amongst males, but I should not have assumed. Good to know though 😊
And to the poster, she is correct the vocational rehab resources will depend on the location. I hope you get the things you need to be successful!
And to the poster, she is correct the vocational rehab resources will depend on the location. I hope you get the things you need to be successful!
estj136 2 points 5y ago
NO, it doesn’t bother me, more amuses me. Haha! Nothing to appologize about just an observation.
Yes, I agree, that’s what I said. I hope this stuff will help her.
Yes, I agree, that’s what I said. I hope this stuff will help her.
[deleted] 1 points 5y ago
Colleges have offices that provide accessibility support. Whatever disability a student has, they will work to make sure you are successful. I am blind and talked to a university about my needs and they could provide a reader (if materials aren’t OCR compatible). State commission for the blind / voc rehab can provide computer equipment, jaws screen reader software, refreshable braille display, handheld recorders, etc
estj136 1 points 5y ago
Working with the state or Vocational Rehabilitation depends on state, county, or maybe individual city. Sometimes individual counselors. Some experience is very bad, some of them very good. Some of them somewhere in the middle. Some counselors will do absolutely anything to help, some of them will want to provide you with not much, set up with whatever work they find convenient and send you off on your way, suggesting you don’t even go to school. You don’t want to do this! Hahahaha!
I didn’t even begin on being a successful student, I just gave you an accommodations list.
Goal setting is important and accomplishable goals is necessary. What you don’t want to do is set a goal like study to be a police officer. I saw a post on here a while back. You’ll be disappointed, you won’t ever do that. It just, isn’t feasible! I am training to be a pilot! That’s absurd but okay. Be ready to be disappointed and don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. Hahahaha! Setting goals that you can work on checking off is important. And in education having a bigger goal this can go towards is super important. Not expecting others to direct your step for you is useful. Go in ready to do what you need to do. Too many students expect people to guide and spoon feed them, and have no idea. Some expect others to make up their mind for them. Yeah, don’t be one of those people. People don’t actually like it or find you easy to work with. You need to understand what you want or don’t expect people to, I think people expect others to understand what they need when they don’t know themselves.
Be assertive, even if you’re naturally just not assertive. Communication is so important. Learning to speak up for your needs, and how necessary it is is essential. You can not be ashamed of asking for help. I think advocating and learning how to express polite of how abled and capable and communicate how this is possible for us is important. Most people except for some people are actually open to learn about you, but there is actually so little understanding about blindness. Be ready to education and watch them be absorb the information. Push for what you need, sometimes pressure is important here.
Make friends and have fun. You’d be surprised just how far a few connections and friendships can get you. Take the time to say hi, stand at the counter and take time to get to know someone. It will help. May get you somewhere.
Work hard and do your due diligence.
Be prepared.
Be a good student.
Always have a usb drive handy so teachers or someone at the school can put electronic files on it.
I didn’t even begin on being a successful student, I just gave you an accommodations list.
Goal setting is important and accomplishable goals is necessary. What you don’t want to do is set a goal like study to be a police officer. I saw a post on here a while back. You’ll be disappointed, you won’t ever do that. It just, isn’t feasible! I am training to be a pilot! That’s absurd but okay. Be ready to be disappointed and don’t tell me I didn’t warn you. Hahahaha! Setting goals that you can work on checking off is important. And in education having a bigger goal this can go towards is super important. Not expecting others to direct your step for you is useful. Go in ready to do what you need to do. Too many students expect people to guide and spoon feed them, and have no idea. Some expect others to make up their mind for them. Yeah, don’t be one of those people. People don’t actually like it or find you easy to work with. You need to understand what you want or don’t expect people to, I think people expect others to understand what they need when they don’t know themselves.
Be assertive, even if you’re naturally just not assertive. Communication is so important. Learning to speak up for your needs, and how necessary it is is essential. You can not be ashamed of asking for help. I think advocating and learning how to express polite of how abled and capable and communicate how this is possible for us is important. Most people except for some people are actually open to learn about you, but there is actually so little understanding about blindness. Be ready to education and watch them be absorb the information. Push for what you need, sometimes pressure is important here.
Make friends and have fun. You’d be surprised just how far a few connections and friendships can get you. Take the time to say hi, stand at the counter and take time to get to know someone. It will help. May get you somewhere.
Work hard and do your due diligence.
Be prepared.
Be a good student.
Always have a usb drive handy so teachers or someone at the school can put electronic files on it.
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