[Athen] Screen readers/other software

[Dina Rosenbaum]

We need more people like you working at the colleges!

>

> My comments:

>

> Risks: Things we want to avoid. Like lawsuits, OCR complaints, and the 

> local consumer reporter showing up on our campus to grill us about why 

> we aren’t providing equal access. I never once took the attitude that 

> “I can’t” or “we can’t” when it came to adaptive technology. I didn’t 

> need to wait for advocacy from a student/parent/counselor to get the 

> lab up and running. I just took it upon myself to do it right to begin 

> with. When I say that advocacy had nothing to do with it, I mean in a 

> literal sense. I didn’t wait to be told/asked/cajoled/forced. I just 

> came in and did it to begin with. There is, in my opinion, absolutely 

> no excuse for saying no when it comes to adaptive technology. A few 

> hundred dollars for a piece of software or hardware beats a hundred 

> thousand dollars for an OCR complaint defense.

>

> What motivated me to do what I did when I came here? I have three 

> disabled children. One has a learning disability, one has seizure 

> disorder, and all three have some form of ADD/ADHD. I have a ton of 

> friends who are disabled, both online friends and real life friends. 

> When one of my blind friends found out I was coming to work here, he 

> sat me down and explained to me his biggest issues. He worked for, at 

> the time, Blazie Engineering, and I picked his brain until we were 

> both bloody. It was worth every minute, because I came here knowing 

> what needed to be done, despite the fact that I’d never worked in 

> adaptive technology or disability services. I took one look at the sad 

> state of this computer lab, and accommodations being offered, and 

> rolled up my sleeves. I have never looked back.

>

> My background is in corporate training and management. I use many of 

> those skills here to assess risk and find solutions to problems that 

> may not even exist yet. For me, being ahead of the curve is a whole 

> lot better than being run over by the freight train that is barreling 

> down the tracks behind me.

>

> One distinct advantage for me is that I do not have a background that 

> was cramped by budget considerations or can’t-do attitudes. I do hear 

> this quite a bit when I’m at conferences and even on my own campus. 

> “We don’t have that in our budget,” or “How do you find the money?” My 

> answer always is that the money is there. Don’t be afraid to ask. 

> Don’t be afraid to push the issue. Under no circumstances should you 

> go begging, hat in hand, to a dean or vice president or CIO for money. 

> Stand up, be firm, make a demand, not a request. Be ready to list the 

> risks of not meeting the demand, but ONLY if you are asked. Do not 

> make excuses or explanations or apologies. If you act like a 

> second-class citizen, you will be treated like one.

>

> I realize that for some of our colleagues, this attitude is a radical 

> shift from how they do business. Their campus culture has inured them 

> to an attitude of subservience and meekness. I refuse to have that 

> attitude; I’ve been here almost eight years and have still not bought 

> into that campus culture. This doesn’t mean I don’t treat campus 

> management with respect; on the contrary, I’m extremely respectful, 

> but I am not meek. I state our needs clearly and with an attitude that 

> they can’t say no.

>

> When I die, inscribed on my tombstone will be my boss’ favorite phrase 

> regarding me. “I have never won an argument with this woman.” I 

> consider that a compliment. I do not accept the word “no” when it 

> comes to accommodating our students. None of us should.

>

> Susan Kelmer

>

> Adaptive Technology Specialist

>

> Coordinator, Campus Labs and Classrooms/IAL

>

> Technology and Educational Support Services/

>

> Campus Technology Support Services

>

> St. Louis Community College at Meramec

>

> 314/984-7951

>

> ------------------------------------------------------------------------

>

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>   


-- 
Dina Rosenbaum
Carroll Center for the BLind
770 Centre St, Newton, MA 02459
800-852-3131
www.carroll.org
www.carrolltech.org