Category: Cram Session
I have been having consistent issues with a lecturer since I started university in September. It has finally reached the point where both the course and faculty head are involved. I sent them the following record today detailing some of the things that have happened.
I hate that I've had to be so pushy, and use words like discrimination but it's reached a point where there's nothing else I can do. I was wondering if any of you have faced similar issues and how it was handled? I've taken out full names btw just to keep it a little more anonymous!
Since the start of the semester, I have received no lecture hand-outs for 173DEL in a format I can access as a blind student. It continued to the extent where I had to convert pdf’s scanned as images in my own makeshift attempt to access these printed materials. This is not a reasonable adjustment; however it was the only way I could attend lectures.
Often, the documents did not convert accurately. The software I use cannot interpret tables and diagrams. It was never provided to me to be used as a substitution for lecture materials in an accessible format, but was my attempt to get whatever information I could without the support I should have had access to.
I have raised this as an issue a number of times. Firstly, on the 9th of November when speaking to M who asked me if everything was ok I mentioned my concerns about that module and she forwarded them on.
On arrival at the building that afternoon, R walked up to me and asked “have you been complaining about me?” This language was inappropriate. It put me in a very uncomfortable position and should never have been discussed in a public place. I said I hadn’t complained, I was just concerned about a few things. I felt like my meaning had been misinterpreted somewhat. She then sent an email to M saying I was angry with her. I was not angry at all, I feel like everything had been lost in translation, especially when R received the email M sent.
During my lecture on Tuesday the 17th of November, we’d completed an activity and R was going around the room asking students to answer questions. When she came to me, I didn’t know what she was referring to because the inaccessible document she had sent me had not converted properly and I had missed some of the questions. She proceeded to raise her voice at me, saying: “I sent this to you on Friday, why didn’t you tell me there were problems?” Given I obviously couldn’t see that the questions were missed, I wouldn’t know it was an issue. I also found this really unprofessional to put me in that kind of uncomfortable position in front of other students.
I was extremely disappointed that at the end of the lecture IG came in and they began to discuss my needs. Much of this conversation was in Spanish, which was extremely inappropriate as my first language is English, and any discussions relating to provision should be discussed in a way I can understand. I also found it extremely uncomfortable that my needs were once again being discussed publicly. I may be visibly disabled, but I have a right to confidentiality surrounding this at all times.
IG has always provided me with accessible materials; however, she did not back me up in this situation. As my personal tutor I expected that she would have read the needs assessment provided to her before the semester started. However, it was evident that she had not. She assumed that the university funds my support and transcription hours could just be increased.
Transcription hours are there for me to use for articles and additional materials, not to adapt inaccessible lecture materials. It is a perfectly reasonable request that all lecturers provide me with materials in a format I can read in advance of the lecture.
It concerns and upsets me that several lecturers have demonstrated a total lack of understanding of my needs. It is only in 100DEL that I have had no problems; M has always worked with me personally to find a way around small issues we encounter.
The health and wellbeing department have always made it clear that they will answer any questions the lecturers have. Instead of utilising these resources, lecturers have instead decided to treat me like an inconvenience, a burden. I have been publicly shamed on a number of occasions because I have a disability. I do not choose to have these needs; they are not something I asked for. I never want to see another disabled student face this kind of public humiliation. I do not tolerate discrimination and this is why I must speak out.
I do not feel confident that I will pass the exam for 173DEL, given the huge disadvantage Having no accessible materials from which to revise has put me at. I am paying the same amount as every other student and yet my money and my needs are treated as second class. My question to the department and the university is: what will you do about this? I expect to be treated equally, I am currently being penalised because I am blind, and this is not acceptable.
So that is the email I had to send today. Obviously I'm in a really awkward position right now. I hate that I'm having to do this, but ultimately I have absolutely no materials for that module from wich I can revise for the exam and study in general. So I'm not sure what action will be taken, I can't attend that class in the meantime. It's a really ridiculous and generally uncomfortable situation.
Wow. This is awful. I don't know the specifics of the protections provided by the DDA and other relevant legislation, but I would think that they can't be that much different from ours here in the States. I'm positive you have enough grievances to file all kinds of complaints. If the issues aren't resolved within the department, the disability center (is it really called the Health and Wellbeing Department?), or your university's Office of Judicial Affairs, I'd say you could even take them to court. It sounds as if they've treated you terribly and acted, as you said, completely unprofessional. Furthermore, if you do fail the exams in the classes whose professors have refused to accommodate you, you could probably dispute the grades.
I'm curious as to the setup of your university. How many students attend? I assume it's small, given that you have someone that meets with your instructors to discuss your individual needs. Things are done quite differently at my school, but then, we have almost 30,000 students. we provide proof of our disability(s) to the Disability and Access Center (as it is called here), we meet with one of the directors to discuss the accommodations we will need, and then we e-mail our accommodation letters to our instructors so that they are aware of these needs. We also have a fully-equipped Adaptive Technology Center to which we bring books and print materials to be scanned and converted and which also handles software and equipment needs. The coordinator of this lab and the directors of the DAC have also recently begun an initiative to show professors how they can make their materials accessible right from the start. How are things like this accomplished at your university? Also, do you know of any other students or former students who are having or have had similar issues? There is strength in numbers, both when filing complaints and raising awareness. Have you considered taking your story to the media?
I sincerely hope that you're able to get justice. Noone should suffer this sort of indignity.
Becky
It's a very different system here, in terms of who is contracted to provide support. I really, really don't want to go to the media. I just want this resolved so I can study.
Sometimes, you have to take actions you'd rather not take. After all the humiliations in public, I'd personally have gone to the Media. That stuff happened to me in grade school, in the eighties. I thought that teachers were beyond all this garbage. My friend had a similar thing happen, and she didn't come out on top, because they said she couldn't do early childcare, because she was blind. NFB members promised support, and then took it away. Since the NFB backed her instructors, she had to take it. Still, that was over twenty years ago. And, I thought England was so much farther advanced than the US.
This, I'm sorry to say, is why I will not go to college/University. I have some hidden disabilities on top of my blindness, and it would just cause everyone bad feelings, and I have enough on my plate. It was hard enough to take a 2-week course, and have no help.
I want to know when instructors are going to treat blind people like normal people. The only teachers that ever treated me normally, were in the mental health field. How sad is this?
Blessings,
Sarah
I don't think there's anything to be gained by going to the media. The faculty, and disability services are on my side. All I do by kicking and screaming on a platform like that is in many ways make my situation worse.
I just want to study. I don't feel like I'm asking for a lot. It sucks that I've had to complain to the course and faculty head, but I'm hoping it can be resolved within the university. To be honest, going to the media just isn't my style. I'd rather sit down and discuss what's going on and work with people to resolve it.
If you lived in the US, I'd have an opinion.
While in college, and after, it was my job for a while to deal with just such things as you described.
Seems you are going about it in a professional manner.
Leaving your anger on the shelfs and dealing with it by the laws, and such are your best bet I'd guess.
Good luck.
I've seen the rules backfire, even in the U.S. That's my concern. I was talking to my friend last night, and she said: "The college Dean was behind me, and then took the side of the staff."
That's my concern. People can talk a good talk, but I've learned from my own experiences, as well as others, it doesn't always work like it's supposed to. I know I sound like the bad news broad, but I speak from experience.
I'm not trying to say to saddle up and prepare for battle, but don't get hopes crashed, if the so-called support backs up, when authority gets to dictating things.
Most college-age people, sighted, blind, deaf, disabled or not, get the idea everything works by the law. Mostly, that's true. I'm just saying, there's times when you get bonked, and don't know where the heck it came from. Then, the depression comes. Like I say before, it's not just my experiences. I've seen it a million times. It's the same reason that people with degrees end up working in sheltered workshops. I don't like it. It just is part of life.
People in government talk a lot of talk. But, let's try to remember that life isn't as black and white as it seems. There's that gray line. Every blind person, has seen it. If you haven't, and I'm wrong, great! I'm happy! I just don't want to see you get your hopes dashed without warning.
Basically, despite your opinions of my attitude, I'm "NOT" trying to be an ass.
Blessings,
Well Holly if none of that works, cut your hair really short, die it blue, wear
black lipstick, get a pair of pseudo academic hipster glasses, come up with a
new word for something you identify as, and tell them all to check your
privilege. Because then, they'll have to fall all over themselves to help you. The
diversity types may not give two turds on a toadstool for disabled folks, but
they sure love new words for identities people come up with. Especially the
strung-together intellectual sounding kind.
Or, you can be a shitlord like me and just try and find solutions that actually
work ... but what would I know? Lol. Actually there's wisdom in Wayne's post.
I've been away from school since the early 90s so my information is hardly up
to date. Just been watching the zoo that is the current academics on the news
of late.
ahahaha leo. Though, sadly there is actually truth to what you say.
I'm lucky in that it's gone to the head of faculty, and I've met no opposition. It seems like it is this one lecturer who refuses to actually do what she's supposed to. I really didn't want to take it this far but I have no materials to work from and the situation is getting ridiculous.
I'm hoping it gets resolved, I know I've said this before but all I want to do is study. I'm not interested in involving the media or getting a ton of attention, all I want is to be able to take my classes.
Definitely keep us posted on the situation.
Thank you. I received an email from the head of the faculty saying he has told this lecturer to get my materials in an accessible format, making use of the faculty learning support coordinator. So I just have to wait and see!
I will definitely be sitting the exam in the summer though, as it's only on the 4th of january and I'm not sure when I will get the materials.
Obviously if they fail to appear then I'll have to do more fighting.
A part of me was disappointed at this response, I wanted more. But honestly when I think about it I just want to get on with studying. And the part of me that wants disciplinerry is just because she's made me feel horrible all semester. Really though, I'm not sure anything good would come out of it.
But like I say if the materials are a no show I may have to. Hopefully not!
Holli, you said that there is a health and welbing unit/department at your university. Perhaps is worth talking to them, and outlining your issue in details and see if they can do anything else to assist you. Do you have a disability support officer or disability advisor at your university? If you do, you can go to them directly, usually they will connect and talk and give some sort of disability awareness programs to your lecturers. Another way is to go to the students representative, like the students union or student council or whatever they call at your university. They will also help to advocate for you as well. But I do agree, going to the media does not solve the problem, it is a lose-lose situation for you and also for them. I wish you all the best, and keep us posted. Do pm me if you think I can help in any way.
Hey, yeah, disabilities comes under health and wellbeing. Unfortunately they've been arguing in my favour since the start and it's done very little. Well, other lecturers have responded well but this one hasn't. So I'm hoping that now it's gone higher up it will get resolved.
So a quick update. My lecturer sent me an email today asking if I'd sent the materials to be adapted. This annoyed me as the head of the faculty had assured me he had told her she needed to do it.
And so I replied that it isn't the job of my notetaker to adapt them. And then I received another email later in the day with the materials for next week, that are still inaccessible. So instead of getting into a heated and likely counter productive email debate I forwarded it on to the head of faculty with my concerns.
And he replied asking me if I can use word documents. Good start, I thought. However he then sent me a word document, which was still an image. Clearly they had just coppied and pasted the image from the pdf.
This isn't their fault. They don't understand how screen readers do and don't work, but it is frustrating when both I and disabilities have been explaining it since the start of the semester. However, being new to the conversation I feel like this guy is genuinly doing his best.
Honestly, I shouldn't be producing the materials. But if I could get them beforehand and knew they would OCR well I would do it. I'm not raising this as a complaint just to be difficult. I tried using the OCR software I have, as many of you will know it is imperfect.
And so today is the last day of week 9 of the semester. I have two weeks to go and no materials. This is why I am pushing so hard for this. Because I have exhausted all other avenues.
Does the UK not have an organization or system where they can help you buy equipment for scanning materials for classes? If they're going to make you do all of this, then maybe that should be something you could argue with them? I know a pearl camera for example, is like, $2000.
This way, the teachers can just give you the worksheets, and you can just do it all yourself. I think this will help, especially with stubborn teachers like this one. Also, explaining the screenreader issue to them is very important. Even my professors don't understand this. They just know I get my work in, and completed like everyone else.
Hi, yeah we do. But we get £5000 for the duration of our course!!!! Which in terms of tech is very little.
However today I received accessible materials for Monday! This doesn't solve the issue of the first 9 weeks of the semester, but with an exam deferral until next May and demanding the rest I should be able to pass it. I wish I hadn't had to take it this far, but at least I now know things are starting to get done.
I just have to wait for the rest of the materials and see what happens there.
Hi Holly,
While I agree the university should be doing it, you could always push for a
higher non-equipment help component or whatever it's called (the bit used to
fund note takers) of your your DSA and get someone to transcribe your
materials while the university sort their lives out.
Hi, I have no DSA money left! It's absolutely crazy. Because I require a notetaker that is also a spanish speaker I'm paying a ton more for that than I would normally, and it's really eating my budget. Lucky the faculty has a learning support technologist, and so it is there job to do it. They had no idea I was even struggling because it hadn't been communicated to them by the lecturer.
So it was all a bit of a mess, but I'm really hoping that now things are finally moving forward.
Holly you have to keep pushing. I've had issues at my university, but thankfully it is rare I have to go higher than the professor's direct boss which we call the divition head.
Don't give up, and good luck.
Have you maxed out the entire non-equipment component that you're entitled
to or just the amount the assessor said you should have? You can revisit that
assessment if your circumstances change up to the £20 grand annual
maximum, though obviously you'd have to justify why you needed more.
I agree with some of what's been said here, especially the part encouraging the OP to keep on pushing. Cause, the reality is that it isn't over till it's over, if that makes sense. In other words, just cause these people at your university seem to be moving their butts now, doesn't mean you're safe to lay low; it's important that you stay on them. The squeaky wheel always gets things done.
I'm not sure if this has been said, but if the university is going to continue making you do all the necessary scanning yourself, I would insist that they pay for the necessary equipment you would need to do so. I'd also insist--if you haven't done so already--that you'll need more time to complete these things, since you have no help.
Lastly, I cannot believe people would even encourage the OP to go to the media in this kind of situation. All it would do is exaserbate things more for all involved, rather than welcoming a positive outcome.
Thanks Keri and chelsea.
I've now received most of the materials, and have been told it definitely isn't my job to be scanning them. I have to organise scanning of materials when it is extra stuff, like pages from a book that I'm not required but I think will be useful. And that to me seems fair.
My tests from this module have also been deferred until the next exam period which is in May. A little frustrating as I will then have to take 5 exams as opposed to 3, but I will at least have the time to study for them.
I'm hoping that everyone has learnt something from this, for me personally it's to push a lot earlier, and not try and take on the responsibility just because I don't want conflict with the lecturer. And I hope the lecturer in question has learnt that the department has a learning support coordinator for a reason and to make use of them in future.
We'll see. I do have her next semester but she is one of about 3 people teaching a module so my time with her will be a lot less.
And to Ed, apparently there is no money left, as in none at all to go back to student finance and ask for hours to be increased. It's because a lot of my support has to be contracted out to external organisations because of the language thing and so it costs a lot more. I'm definitely going to review it at the end of first year, see which aspects I found most useful and what I can move around.
I'm glad you made progress. Now you've had the experience which sucks, but now you are better prepared should it happen again. You can also help others who may have this same issue. I hope this professor has learned her lesson.
Wow with dealing with these types of situations. They've got so many kinds of
people now that are to support you all. So many words, so many turds! Lol you
almost have to have a college education before you get there sounds like.
Although, I would not want to return to the days when we did it the way I did
growing up, nor would I say ours was better. Far from, though we of course
wouldn't have known that then. But lol
Yeah leo, sometimes it's more complicated because of the amount of people that are on campus. So there's this whole game of pass the problem around. Of course ultimately it's good because when you figure out what each persons job is, you have people to help, but it can be a really confusing time at first.
So, thought I'd just update you all, as some who commented on this board may not know.
I essentially couldn't complete the module I was having issues with, as I only received the materials a week before the end of the semester.
And then, at the start of January I went to take an exam for a different module and was given a printed exam paper.
Obviously this is completely unacceptable, so I've filed a complaint against the registry team who made this examination error.
So, right now I've only been able to fully finish one module from first semester. This means I need to retake the exam, and also complete the whole of the other module by the end of this academic year.
I'm fine with retaking the exam, less so with completing a whole module. It is a lot of credits to take on in one semester.
So I'm having a meeting this coming week about how the university will deal with this, without it impacting my other classes.
push for your rights!
definitely agree with the last poster. those accessibility folks need to get their shit together. freakin unacceptable. Please keep us posted.
Wow...I am so sorry this has happened to you, and it looks as though the situation has only worsened over time. I've faced discrimination at university--one instructor actually refused to teach me, full stop, so I had to convince another instructor to teach me instead--but nothing quite like this. The amount of power and authority a disability support department has can make or break your experience at postsecondary (just ask Shepherdwolf). In this case, they're behind you, but obviously they don't have enough clout or loud enough voices to make any real progress.
Sadly, I really don't have any original, life-changing advice to offer you. Just do as others have advised: keep pushing, stay diplomatic (it'll make the unprofessionalism of your instructor stand out even more, and that's a good thing for you), and keep your head up. I definitely don't advise getting the media involved; lots of people told me I should, and while I did publish a fairly general blog post to talk about the issue on a universal level, I knew that calling out my university via TV or newspapers was only going to damage already-fragile relationships with staff. Don't let yourself be bullied, but keep the goal in mind as you have been: you're here to study, not crusade. If you make the way easier for future blind students, so much the better, but it's not your job and no one should be telling you it is your duty to make a big splash. Do what is best for you, and I hope things resolve themselves. Keep us posted.
Thanks, I have a meeting later on today to try and figure out what will happen regarding the module where I received no materials. It sounds awful, but the particular lecturer is retiring soon and I'm kind of relieved. Soon, as in February. I don't think they will take any action against her because of this, but departmental changes definitely need to be made.
I'm just worried I'm being put at a disadvantage. I already have my 4 previously scheduled classes for second semester, but now I'm being expected to complete a whole other class, plus take an exam for another. It's so much work to do in one semester, and I don't feel like the university is taking that seriously right now.
Hopefully this meeting will move things along.
You know your limits, and don't just "settle" to make them happy. I hope it doesn't come down to legal action, but if it does, don't be afraid to get a lawyer and do it.
How did the meeting go?