We had our final pre-departure meeting last week – it’s hard to believe our trip is almost here! After talking through some logistics about travel, packing lists, and our community partners, we went on a quick disability tour of campus. We avoided steps, curbs, narrow walkways, and unpaved surfaces, all of which may present problems for people with disabilities.
From the LSCL office in Stamp, we headed to McKeldin Library, which houses the Adaptive Technology Lab). Dan Newsome, Coordinator of Library Services for Persons with Disabilities at McKeldin Library, showed us the technologies available there. Two examples are:
· Smart Pens that have video and audio capabilities to help students take notes and review them later
· Kurzweil software that converts text to speech in order to assist reading and build comprehension
Dan made some interesting points:
· Technology that everyone uses (like computers or eyeglasses, for example) extends the capabilities that we already have or gives us capabilities that we didn't have before. The technology in the Adaptive Technology Lab does the same thing, it’s just that a smaller population of students need the technologies there.
· If you were the only sighted person living on a planet where everyone else was blind, all of the developments they made, processes the used, and things they created would be geared toward people who didn't rely on their eyes. So, in that situation, a person’s eyesight would be a disability. What is perceived as disability is entirely dependent on the situation!
After our McKeldin stop, we headed over to Shoemaker Hall to check out Disability Support Services. There, students can get accommodations such as extended time on tests or assignments and note-taking help. An interesting conversation that came up was about what could happen when professors say that students can’t use computers in class. If someone requires help with note taking in the form of a computer/word processor, the instructor may allow them to have the computer but require them to sit in the front of the class. While it does accommodate the student, it may cause them to feel alienated by making it obvious that they have a disability or by making the student worry that others will resent him/her for being allowed to use a computer while others in the class aren't allowed. We’re excited to continue conversations like these on our trip!
(From Emily Foley, Team Indy Staff Advisor)
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