From: nmcb@dante.nmsu.edu (Yolanda Thompson)
Subject: Re: Classes with disabled
Organization: New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM
Date: Sun, 27 Dec 1992 02:38:52 GMT

In article <1hdva9INN1de@darkstar.UCSC.EDU> lburns@ucsce.UCSC.EDU (Len Burns) writes:
>
>In article <1992Dec19.065718.21873@nmsu.edu> nmcb@dante.nmsu.edu (Yolanda Thompson) writes:
>>so let him teach, and you be forthright enough to make your requests
>>to him, don't lay an expectation on him to approach you.  This kind of
>>attitude is what makes situations uncomfortable.
>
>It seems that there is a balance between all this squabbling.  Certainly an instructor
>at the college level is not responsible for anticipating the needs of each
>student in a class.  However, it is curteous to make know up front that he or she
>is available to discuss any reasonable accommodations that a student may need.  I have
>seen to many situations in which professors have absolutely refused students
>reasonable accommodations.  I personally know a learning disabled student who approached a professor who happens to be a department head, requesting arrangements
>to take an exam.  He responded "I have five of you in this class, you'll just have to make out", and
>literally threw the exam across the table at her.  
>When I was a student the last quarter of my under graduate studies my last exam was taken
>in a staff break room with chaos around me for a number of hours.  By the way
>I am totally blind and was working with a reader.  There were a number of
>alternatives to how this could have been handled, but he would not discuss it.  
>In both these case all that was wanted was a fair shot at taking the exam.  Neither of us expected the professor to pat us on the
>head and ask what we needed.  We however expect an equal opportunity.
>It is all well and good to encourage personal responsibility, a theme I spend
>a great deal of time driving home to persons with disabilities, but the reality is that a disability is a disability and
>there are circumstances under which accommodations are both necessary and fair.  When I hear some one deny this
>I often wonder how acceptable he or she find his or her disability.  Does this person
>have a strong dislike for what dannot be changed about his/herself?  I will not speculate about this in responding to this,
>but one must wonder.
>

  Well, by your comment of one must wonder, aren't you speculating??
:))

  I agree that professors s should provide students with the same environment
and courtesy which they provide their other students when taking a
class.  We all had those instructors--or employers--who were
narrow-minded, and resistant to providing their students with
disabilities the same thing they provided their other students.
However, this professor was obviously already willing to work, cause
he cared enough to post and express his concern for fairness.  Yeah, I
had those instructors who wanted me to take a test in the hall, and
I've had employers deny me an interview because I'm blind, but thus
far, that has been the exception not the rule.  
  If there were not several professors like you described, there would
not be a need for pl-94-142, or section 504, or ADA.  I do feel it is
very individual however, cause I prefered my tests be recorded and I
would use the word processor to type out my answers, and found that I
didn't need extra time using this method.  However, another blind
student might prefer a reader or Braille or large print, or CCTV and
that is what I meant by the student taking initiative

  Now for the speculation on me denying my blindness..Hmm..I don't
think I ever have or do.  I really dont' mind being blind.  It is a
nuisance, but nor more than that.  The social fears and misconceptions
concern me, but they concerned me when we had such restrictive
attitudes towards women.  I feel each person should be allowed to be
themselves and honestly that is where I was coming from.  There is no
set answer for persons with disabilities, not even those sharing the
same type of disability, so the person has to take initative.

  I'm thrilled to see activity on this group  at last, but aren't
there any other individuals with disabilities out there who have a lot
to say about this topic, or are blind students the only ones with
needs for alternative methods in school?? :))
  Keep up guys  I love it!