[Athen] Article: How a Blind Student Who Felt Locked Out of STEM Classes Challenged and Changed Her University

[Robert Spangler]

I think we have to be careful with threatening faculty with the law and
having an abrasive attitude.  Sure, it would seem natural that people
should want to accept everyone in their classes, but sometimes for a
professor to change how they're teaching their course is very overwhelming
and I can understand how they might feel.  When I was in college, (I am
blind), I approached each of my professors constructively and explained
what they could do to ensure that I got the most out of the course.  I
never mentioned the law or my rights under the same.  This method worked
99% of the time.  Sure, there was a case or two where I had to step up the
pressure, but my point is that we need to approach it from a different
angle, such as teaching faculty how to modify their course to include all
students, universal design, and not just throwing the law at them.  I can
tell you for sure if you show up and tell me how I'm going to change how
I've been doing things for years, with a demanding tone, I'm probably not
going to react in a favorable way.  Additionally, we don't want people to
be afraid of having students with disabilities in their classes.

It sounds like Emily did what she could to work with her faculty and filed
the complaint as a last resort.  To me, this is completely appropriate.  I
only file complaints when nothing else has worked.


On Fri, Dec 15, 2017 at 2:43 PM, Hegney, Shaun <
Shaun.Hegney at sfcc.spokane.edu> wrote:


> This is an excellent article and I think it highlights an important

> issue.  Instruction needs new prospective are a good thing. That pedagogy

> and yes accessibility matter in a course.

>

>

>

> From the article

>

>

>

> “Faculty make the decisions of what they use in the classroom based on

> what the faculty think is the best way to do that teaching, as opposed to

> an outside source telling them that material related to their course work

> is inaccessible for use,” says Dehner.

>

>

>

> The article also mentioned a problem with disability experts putting the

> law first over an idea of cultural change. However, from what I have seen

> in my limited prospective, cultural change is meet with even more hostility

> than citing a legal requirement.

>

>

>

> I think if higher education is going to be more accessible we have to

> overturn this idea, there is one way to things and that is it. In addition,

> more than just instruction having input on course design would be a good

> start.

>

>

>

> Interested in her thoughts from others on this story.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> *Shaun Hegney*

>

> *Program Specialist 2*

>

> Disability Support Services

>

> Spokane Falls Community College

>

> (509)-533-3544 <(509)%20533-3544>

>

> Shaun.Hegney at sfcc.spokane.edu

>

>

>

>

>

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

> Behalf Of *Gunderson, Jon R

> *Sent:* Friday, December 15, 2017 7:19 AM

> *To:* Access Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> *Subject:* [Athen] Article: How a Blind Student Who Felt Locked Out of

> STEM Classes Challenged and Changed Her University

>

>

>

> I was sent this link this morning and though it would be of interest to

> other people on this list:

>

>

>

> How a Blind Student Who Felt Locked Out of STEM Classes Challenged and

> Changed Her University

>

> https://www.edsurge.com/news/2017-12-08-how-a-blind-

> student-who-felt-locked-out-of-stem-classes-challenged-

> and-changed-her-university

>

>

>

> The short article discusses both the legal issues of accessibility and

> cultural issues of accepting people with disabilities.

>

>

>

> Jon

>

>

>

>

>

> Jon Gunderson, Ph.D.

>

> Coordinator

>

> Accessible IT Group

>

> Disability Resources and Education Services

>

> College of Applied Health Sciences

>

> University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

>

>

>

> E-mail: jongund at illinois.edu

>

> WWW: http://disability.illinois.edu/academic-support/aitg

>

>

>

> _______________________________________________

> athen-list mailing list

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

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

>

>



-- 
Robert Spangler
Disability Services Technical Support Specialist
rspangler1 at udayton.edu
Office of Learning Resources (OLR) - RL 023
Ryan C. Harris Learning & Teaching Center (LTC)
University of Dayton  | 300 College Park  |  Dayton, Ohio 45469-1302
Phone: 937-229-2066
Fax: 937-229-3270
Ohio Relay: 711 (available for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing)
Web Site: http://go.udayton.edu/learning
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