Questions?
Debra House
Good Morning,
I was hoping that someone might be able to help me with this information. I do feel somewhat embarrassed asking this group these very basic questions. I hope that possibly this might give you all some insight into the frustrations and very basic questions an adult student would encounter. If my questions are not appropriate for this forum, please do let me know.
As I mentioned on the conference call I am 51 and I was diagnosed with Learning Differences (as I prefer to call them) in 2001. I am extremely passionate about the importance of self-exploration. Educating communities and individuals about discovering their own learning style is huge to a person’s own success around lifelong learning. I believe this to be true regardless of having a diagnosis of ADHD or/and a LD. Personally, I was amazed that there were resources that are presently available. For someone like myself this information was what I like to refer to as “what I do not know, I do not know”. I had no clue what the questions even were to ask. Personally, I have a long way to go but I have begun my journey.
Preaching to the choir I suspect, a LD is a silent disability for many people. It can be easily hidden from one’s self as well as from others. This disability can stop a person from moving forward with creating the amazing life that they long to experience, simply because they are either unaware or too ashamed. I have discovered that there are tools that can be supportive in helping someone reach their dreams. Unfortunately, many of these tools themselves are invisible thus keeping a needed resource unavailable.
I have become quite vocal. At the university that I presently am attending the disabled students department is very small; under staffed and I am sure that you all are aware of the CSU budgets. Unfortunately, they have been unable to hire even a part time assisted tech expert. Last spring when I began my MS program, I actually was referred to our local community college where I received a sample copy of the 30-day Kurzweil 3000. My journey with regard to procuring a copy for my own personal use is a story for another day. I suspect that there are programs that are equal to if not better and more affordable. Unfortunately, as I am a student I do not have the time to keep up with the ever changing assisted technology and frankly I know very little to even be effective.
I had the opportunity to meet with our Associate Vice President / CIO of our Information Technology Department and the Director of Instructional Technology. We discuss these concerns. As we all know, they are huge and very much of a global issue. However for today, I need to take a baby step and I figured that one of you might be able to answer some very basic questions. I need to be more equipped to help myself and to assist the IT and the Disability Center at my university. They need the basics and of course each department has their own agenda, accountability and budget.
For university students with LD how do we or should I say “I” for the moment find out what types of software would assist with reading assignments? Let us use Kurzweil for example, because at this point that is the only program that I have had successful hands on experience using. I would suspect that publishers of textbooks have the ability to work with the campus bookstores so that those students who purchase their textbooks might also be able to get an additional copy. They need to be able to get it in a generic format that could be used with their individual software without having to go through the laborious exercise of scanning each page. Don’t you all agree? Unfortunately, the campus bookstores do not have the working knowledge of the different LD programs and what formats would be workable for that student. Is there a particular format? Do e-books work…would they still need to be scanned?
I am clueless here. I really want to be an advocate not only for myself but also for other students as well as for the university staff. Keeping in mind technology is not in my DNA. I can be “technologically challenged” as my teenage children tell me often. Where do I begin? What questions should I be asking? Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thank you for your time and patience,
Debra House
(310) 508-9086