Category: Let's talk
All, I know how important college is for most of us. Many hours are spent deciding which school offers the best services. I am impressed with a small school called Stephen F. Austin. They offer O and M assistance whitch is rare to find. Also, they offer many gadgets that actually help students. How important are disability services to you? What characteristics about a school would sway you to attend. James.
For me, it really depends on funding. It is easier to go to a state school than it is to go private. State schools tend to have a larger budget for adaptive equipment. When deciding on a school, I like to call the disability support office, and try to set up a phone interview with the person who works directly with students who are blind. I also try and set up a phone interview with a student currently attending and using the services. If the support person is reluctant to facilatate the interview between a student and myself, this sends up red flags. Trust me, it happens. I also try and keep trak of how long callbacks take, this could be for any host of reasons, however, to me it says something about the services offered. I understand everyone needs a break, but I find it irresponceable for a support staff to take a vacation in the middle of a semester. Sick time, death in the family, those kinds of things are understandable, but, vacations? Hell to the no. I will, if there is interest, post the list of questions I ask during the phone interview. Mind you I also ask these questions if I can meet someone in person. Also, I try and get a copy of any contracts, and a copy of what students can expect from a college or university. That way I can weigh my options against another school.
Nem
for me, all on the facilities!. also reading people's comments, and the anual reviews help. not to mention, a good staff..
For me, I tried to not use disability services much. I used them to read tests to me once in awhile, but I preferred to deal with my professors directly.
I worked with my rehab counsellor when it came to getting technology and the rest I handled myself.
Hi, I know college entrance can be daunting. I used my Eaducational Access Service office mainly for test-taking. Try to find a school who's disability office can offer you material in an alternate formate such as braille, large print or things like books on CD or eText if necessary. Also, my school's department started out kind of crappy. Slowly with time, it has improved. I worked in the disability office of my school for a semester. I really learned to apreciate how the staff tried to meet the students' needs. Also, a good rule of thumb is to give yourself plenty of time to get material. So, if you can register for classes for the next semester while you're still in the current one, this will make it easier for the office to accomodate your needs. Some formats like braille and EText take a while to produce. It's also a good idea to send your professors an email telling them that you'll be in their class and to inform them of any special needs you may have. Believe me, they'll definitely apreciate this. I liked knowing that most of my materials would be ready for me when the class started. Some college courses move fast, and it can really suck to play catchup cause you don't have materials such as a syllabus or handouts on time. Good luck, write back with any questions
I agree with the prevous posters. For me, I consider lots of things when making my decision. Yes, state schools are better than private schools because they have more access to services for disabilites and at the same time, they are not that expensive. Other things i consider is if that particular college offers my major. I look at different colleges that offers my major and I do a comparison based on their programs. I compare the classes that they offer which focuses on my major. I like colleges that require a high GPA to be admited in their program. It just shows that they have specific qualifications for their programs and not just anyone can go there.