[Athen] Visually Impaired Student Completing Math Homework

Gaeir Dietrich gdietrich at htctu.net
Tue Sep 15 13:55:29 PDT 2015


Just as an FYI, having a blanket policy ("we do not...") when it comes to
accommodations will not fly with the Office for Civil Rights. OCR's
expectation is that every student's needs will be assessed on a case-by-case
basis. Although you can have guidelines and best practices of how to
accommodate a situation, the strategy that was outlined below is essentially
an OCR complaint waiting to happen.

What would the student's option be for working with your state blindness
agency? In California, I know our state agency that works with blind
students sometimes will assist foreign students, but I do not know what
Ohio's policy might be. State agencies will often cover reader services when
required.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Gaeir (rhymes with "fire") Dietrich
HTCTU Director
408-996-4636
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


-----Original Message-----
From: athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu] On
Behalf Of Dimac, Marcie
Sent: Monday, September 14, 2015 9:29 AM
To: Access Technology Higher Education Network
Subject: Re: [Athen] Visually Impaired Student Completing Math Homework

Susan,

I completely understand and realize that utilizing this new technology would
be overwhelming. As a practice (not my call) we do not hire students to read
textbooks to other students, nor do we hire them to record audio versions of
textbooks - we rely on electronic text, audiobooks when available, and
technology to provide content to students.

We also do not provide accommodations for homework assistance, and we are
concerned that if the student doesn't utilize the accommodation and learn
the software, the student will struggle to complete homework assignments.

We are currently providing readers and scribes for exams but again, wouldn't
do so for homework or other assignments.
What no tech solutions would you recommend?

Thanks for your valuable input! Marcie

Sent from my iPhone


> On Sep 14, 2015, at 12:13 PM, Susan Gjolmesli

<susan.gjolmesli at bellevuecollege.edu> wrote:

>

> Just a question...Why are you forcing the student to use technology he is

not familiar with? Why is it you are providing more barriers for the
student rather than working a solution for him that is more within the scope
of what is familiar to him?

>

> As a blind person who uses JAWs but is not a geek...who struggles with

each upgrade and every change that is thrown my way I can empathize with
this student. Add to that the fact that he is ESL I cannot imagine...

>

> Technology is what it is...imperfect. Interfaces with Jaws....especially

with something as concrete as math will be challenging - even to sighted
individuals.

>

> Work innovatively minus the technology...my two cents.

>

> S.

>

> Susan Gjolmesli, Director

> Disability Resource Center, B132

> Phone: (425) 564-2498

> http://www.bellevuecollege.edu/drc/

>

>

> This email and any files transmitted may contain confidential information

as protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), 20
USC § 1232g and/or Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §
2510-2521. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified
that any disclosure, copying, or distribution is prohibited. Furthermore, if
you are not the intended recipient, please notify me immediately by
telephone or return e-mail and completely delete this message from your
system.

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: athen-list [mailto:athen-list-bounces at mailman13.u.washington.edu] On

Behalf Of Maria Bohn

> Sent: Monday, September 14, 2015 6:55 AM

> To: Access Technology Higher Education Network

> Subject: Re: [Athen] Visually Impaired Student Completing Math Homework

>

> Could you make it one of his accommodations to turn in homework via

recorder? Or have a scribe for homework if the Professor will not accept the
recorded homework. I would think the student cannot write the mathematical
equations himself without assistance. I am not sure of the math type and if
that will work in this situate . Or have someone sit with him when he uses
Math talk/Dragon - to make sure it is outputting the way he is speaking it?

>

>

> Maria Bohn

> Senior Resource Accommodation Specialist Assistive Technology Office of

Specialized Services Bergen Community College

>

> From: <Dimac>, Marcie <mdimac at kent.edu<mailto:mdimac at kent.edu>>

> Reply-To: Access Technology Higher Education Network

<athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>

> Date: Monday, September 14, 2015 at 9:31 AM

> To: "athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>"

<athen-list at u.washington.edu<mailto:athen-list at u.washington.edu>>

> Subject: [Athen] Visually Impaired Student Completing Math Homework

>

> Morning all,

>

> I have a rather unique (I think) situation here and would love some

feedback.

>

> Student:Doctoral level, pure mathematics students, from Vietnam. This

student has been in the United States for about a month, has very little
English speaking skills but seems to understand English well. The student is
blind, and in Vietnam, his accommodations were drastically different from
what they are/will be here.

>

> In Vietnam:An actual person would read his textbooks and homeworks aloud

to him, at his convenience. The student knows how to use JAWS (on version
14) but has never used it to read mathematical content. The student was able
to vocally dictate his answers into a recorder and turn the recorder in to
the professor as homework submissions.

>

> At Kent State:We have hired mathematical content editors (doctoral level)

to edit his books and homeworks with Mathtype and we have worked with the
student to understand JAWS (v. 16) so he can use it to navigate mathematical
content. None of his books were already available in audio format and must
be formatted from "scratch". The student is insistent that we provide a
reader for his textbooks and homework, which we are currently not providing,
(as we are editing the books to be compatible/readable with JAWS 16).

>

> Current Concern:The student came in on Friday and informed us that he had

submitted an audio recording of himself answering the questions for his
latest homework assignment and the professor had rejected the work. We are
asking if anyone has ANY technology solutions for this situation. I have
looked into Dragon and Mathtalk, but I'm pretty sure you need to be sighted
to use this.

>

> Any thoughts?

>

> Thanks :)

>

> Marcie Anne Dimac, M.A. Ed.

>

> Coordinator, Assistive Technology

> Student Accessibility Services

> DeWeese Health Center, Room 23

> Kent, Ohio 44242

>

> Email: mdimac at kent.edu<mailto:mdimac at kent.edu>

>

> Phone: 330-672-3391

>

> Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail is intended only for the use of the

individual or entity to which it is addressed. This e-mail message may
contain confidential information intended only for use of the individual or
entity named. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient,
please do not read, use, disclose, copy or distribute this message and do
not take any action in reliance upon it. If you have received this
transmission in error, you are hereby notified that any dissemination,
distribution or copying of this communication is prohibited. Please delete
it from your system without copying or forwarding it, and notify the sender
of the error by reply e-mail or by calling 330-672-3001.

>

> _______________________________________________

> athen-list mailing list

> athen-list at mailman13.u.washington.edu

> http://mailman13.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list

> _______________________________________________

> athen-list mailing list

> athen-list at mailman13.u.washington.edu

> http://mailman13.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list

_______________________________________________
athen-list mailing list
athen-list at mailman13.u.washington.edu
http://mailman13.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list





More information about the athen-list mailing list