The VI (Visually Impaired) Student College Survival Guide

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The VI (Visually Impaired) Student College
Survival Guide

• Joe Strechay
• Email jstrechay_at_afb.net

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What is the ultimate goal of a student going off
to college?

• To succeed, but what does that mean?

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What areas must any college student succeed in?

• Attendance (O M)
• Readings
• Testing
• Note Taking
• Studying
• Time Management
• Volunteer Experience

• Social Skills
• Self Advocacy
• Accessing Technology
• Resources
• Independent Living Skills
• Employment Skills

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The Importance

• These areas are even more important to students
  with visual impairments. Students with visual
  impairments will have to be taught how to perform
  these tasks in an efficient and effective manner.

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Attendance (O M)

• Learning the Campus
• Students will need to arrive on campus early to
  familiarize themselves with the campus and
  routes.
• Enlisting the help of an orientation and mobility
  instructor would be beneficial.
• Learning base routes and expanding out hitting
  areas of importance first.
• Learning the landmarks, cues and clues.

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Attendance (O M)

• Learn the buildings and numbering systems.
• Learn the classroom set up and rehearse routes
  all the way through.
• Leave for classes with plenty of time to spare.
• CAMPUSES CHANGE OFTEN!
• Plan schedule according to buildings and times.

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Attendance (O M)

• May be necessary to ask for other students
  assistance to get to classes. Be polite and make
  sure they are in the class as well. Dont ware
  out your welcome! (Until route is learned)
• Be practical and realistic.

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Readings

• Reading method must be fast and efficient!
• Must know how to get access to reading materials
  and be able to adapt or accommodate for
  themselves if need be.
• Must take the initiative to find out books prior
  and plan ahead.
• Books can be downloaded online.

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Readings

• Students must keep a dialogue with professors to
  find out about up coming readings if added.
• Students must know how to access readings in
  multiple mediums.
• Students must learn to prioritize and use good
  Time Management Skills!

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Readings

• Bookshare.org
• National Library Service
• RFBD
• Other websites for audible books
• Stay on top of the technology available! Read
  AFBs AccessWorld for free online.

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Time Management

• Make a schedule and live by it! A planner is a
  good idea.
• Put all readings, assignments and exams into the
  planner.
• Assign times to study.
• Allow time to sleep and eat, staying healthy is
  important.
• Get assignments done early.

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Volunteer Experience

• Volunteer with charities or philanthropies.
• Volunteer to get employment experience and your
  foot in the door.
• Prove your value in these situations!
• Being a well rounded individual.

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Testing

• Contact the Student Disability Center on the
  campus to find out their procedures.
• Student should know what accommodations they
  need.
• Let professors know what accommodations are
  needed right away.

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Testing Accommodations to be considered

• Time
• Size of Print
• Having a reader
• Electronic format such as on a computer
• Lighting
• Filling out the answer key (Scantron can be
  difficult)
• Use of a CCTV or magnifier
• Utensil or computer

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Note Taking

• Speed, accuracy and efficiency.
• Must be able to take some sort of notes.
• Recording the class is great, but doubles the
  amount of time spent on the notes. They will
  have to be transcribed later.
• Method has to suit the student!

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Studying

• Introduce the student to multiple methods.
• The student must have a primary method before
  college.
• Some classes may require a different method of
  studying.
• Some students do not study well in groups.
• Schedule reader if needed.

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Social Skills

• Basic manners
• Age appropriate
• Conversation skills
• Posture and attention
• Addressing different audiences
• Dress and appearance
• Peers will be honest, practice!!! Enlist help if
  needed.
• Phone conversation skills

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Self Advocacy!

• Students must be able to express themselves and
  what they want in an appropriate manner.
• Students must know how to advocate for themselves
  and this needs to be practiced in all facets of
  life.
• Students must know when it is appropriate, it
  many not always be.
• Disclosure statement

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Accessing Technology

• Students must be able to use computers, use the
  internet efficiently, access online blackboard
  sites, access e-journals and extranets.
• Screen readers or magnifiers, note takers or
  recorders, and the latest technology.
• It is up to us as teachers to make sure they have
  the technology and skills to make it!

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Resources

• Research the college or university to see what
  services they offer.
• Contact the Disability Center on campus.
• Visit the school.
• Contact a student with a visual impairment at the
  school.

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Resources

• Contact local organizations.
• Look into housing that allows easy access to the
  school.
• Look at transportation in the area and the cost.
• Get to campus early and get to know it, weeks or
  months early!

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Resources

• Keep track of the contact information of all the
  resources and people you meet for future
  reference.
• Create a rapport with contacts.
• Make sure these people remember you, make an
  effort.

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Readers and Note Takers

• Practice and role play hiring readers and note
  takers.
• Make lists of questions.
• Have them read or look at their notes.
• Create a flyer with first name, phone number and
  the service you are looking for.

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Readers and Note Takers

• Have many readers, try to get some non-students.
  Churches, super markets and libraries are great
  places to put a flyer.
• This is a job, you can fire them if they dont
  meet your needs!

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Employment Experience

• First job is not a career.
• Create a Portfolio.
• Know your materials.
• Interviewing skills
• Letters of Reference
• Be confident and dress to impress.
• Practice, practice and more practice

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Employment Experience

• Start Internships early and keep them coming.
• Contact people in fields of interest.
• Contact persons with VI in related field.
• Career Connect is a great resource!
• Career Centers are great places and are under
  utilized.

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Research

• This information was compiled by Joseph Strechay
  and Tiffany Barbieri during the summers of 2004 -
  2006 at Florida State University while helping to
  run a college transition program. These are
  areas that we felt these students were lacking in
  when arriving.

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Are our students prepared?

• Are they prepared to succeed in the modern
  college or university or have we neglected needs
  that will cause them to fail!
• Lets prepare them to succeed! We all care a lot
  about these students and want the best for them!!!

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Special Thanks to

• Tiffany Barbieri
• Florida Division of Blind Services
• Florida State University
• Dr. Bruce Menchetti
• Wendy Olsen
• Wayne Jennings
• Lynda Jones
• Catherine OFarrell
• Dr. Karen Wolffe
• Dr. Silvia M. Correa-Torres
• Dr. Sandra Lewis