When choosing a post secondary program, whether it’s vocational, two year, four year, or graduate students need to consider how their program of choice best suit their interests, needs, and preferences. Prior to enrollment, students do not have to declare their disability or the institution may not have to make an inquiry. However, after you enroll, you should contact the appropriate college and university personnel such as the Office of Student Disability Services if you wish to receive academic accommodations. At that time, students should provide documentation for their disability.
Before you start classes, make sure you set up an appointment to meet with the Disability Services coordinator at your college or university to let them know that you are blind or visually impaired. Also, make them aware of your preferred reading method.
Getting off to a Good Start
Find out if the college or university offers a course in study skills. You should acquire textbook lists from tutors, library, learning resource center, and even your Disability Services coordinator in advance. Students should make time to do their assigned reading and or arrange for books and journal articles to be taped, Brailed, or scanned. Find out which reading materials are most important since it takes more time for visually impaired students to complete reading assignments than their sighted peers.
Disabilities Services and Knowing Your Rights
Colleges and universities require that students register with Disabilities Student Services to arrange for accommodations via these services. Students should check with Student Disabilities Services to see if they offer readers. Readers can assist with reading assignments. If this resource is offered, take advantage of these services. Students prepare themselves for the “real world” by using Student Disabilities Services as a secondary provider instead of solely relying on their vocational rehabilitation counselor. Students should be able to advocate for themselves by explaining their needs and accommodations. Students should also be able to locate, hire, or fire their own readers, and be able to acquire book lists for each semester and order their books in audio format from RFB&D. It would be wise to purchase textbooks from the bookstore especially if they aren’t available in audio format.
In the K-12 education environment, blind and visually impaired students get everything they need free most of the time. However, for seniors coming out of high school the transition to college will be a great adjustment. It is important for students to know their rights. In addition; students need to know where to turn for help when they do not get the answers they need from education personnel.
