Things are Starting to Click...Culminating Thoughts Regarding the Voice Project

     Things are starting to click for me as a result of The Voice Project and our classroom discussions about student development theory.  The thing that I understand most is that students are unique.  That being said, they have multiple identities.  As a result, they have various needs.  Our job as a student affairs practitioner is not to assume what students need.  Rather, I think it is to engage in discussions with students that allow students to share the way that they are making meaning of their world.  These discussions will allow us to apply student development theory to our work with students and give meaning and purpose to the interactions.  In doing so, we will be able to challenge and support students to further grow and develop.  Prior to the voice project, I did not give much thought to the uniqueness of students and had no idea that there were so many theories that could be applied to practice.  The Voice Project has allowed me to see how gender, age, social class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, and race help to define how we draw meaning in our lives.  In addition, realizing that these identities do not operate separately from one another has been significant.  I look forward to working one-on-one with students and actually having the opportunity to apply student development theory to my interactions with students as an academic advisor.  As this project wraps up, I see the importance of staying up-to-date on the use of theory to inform practice.   At the same time, I see how theory provides rationale for why we do what we do when working with students.  

Understanding Communication Preferences of College Students With Visual Disabilities

Journal Article Review

     According to the article, increased enrollment of college students with disabilities brings about concerns regarding appropriate communication. Faculty and administrators often lack knowledge and make false assumptions when working with students with visual disabilities. The article explained the results of a qualitative study that was done to determine the preferences in communication styles and techniques of students with visual disabilities in their interactions with others within the higher education setting. The results of 35 interviews indicated respect for others, comfort during interactions, and awareness of disability issues were key factors leading to effective communication between persons with and without visual disabilities.
     According to the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Educational Statistics, 11% of U.S. college students have documented disabilities- 3.8% of those have visual disabilities.  The Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 was amended in 2008 to broaden its scope, and defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that limits a major life activity.  This legislation provides for an equal opportunity for people with disabilities to contribute to and participate in society, which includes pursuing a degree in higher education. 
     Students with disabilities are often stereotyped by others without disabilities.  Attitudes of both students and faculty who do not have a disability can impact how they communicate with students with disabilities.  The study found that the onset of one's visual impairment can have an affect on students' acceptance of the disability.  Those who were blind from birth were at various stages of acceptance from wanting to hide their disability to completely accepting that their visual impairment is part of who they are.  Of the respondents who became blind later in life, most described a sense of loss, but felt that their previous sight helped them to communicate. 
     The desire to be respected was a commonality that came up in all of the student interviews.  Students were quoted as saying things like, "Treat me like you want to be treated" and "Don't be offended if I say I don't want help."  Students also mentioned the false assumptions that often surface in their comments like "I don't need a wheelchair just because I am blind" or "You don't need to talk loader to me.  I am blind not deaf." 
     Every respondent in the study shared a concern for making others feel comfortable during interactions with them.  The persons with visual disabilities tend to take on the role of "breaking the ice" in order to help set a comfortable tone when talking with individuals with sight.  The students mentioned the importance of humor.  Laughing at themselves, making light of their visual disabilities, bringing attention to themselves as human beings rather than persons with disabilities were common communication techniques mentioned by the participants of the study.  Participants also mentioned that they wished people would identify themselves when first approaching someone with a visual impairment. 
     Respondents of the study unanimously agreed that disability awareness training would be beneficial to most people in order to communicate more effectively with students with disabilities.  Some even felt that it should be required by all faculty and staff.  Students with visual impairments felt that this type of training might help to eliminate the false assumption people have of students with visual disabilities.

     I found it interesting that the article mentioned that until recently, most research on the communication behavior of individuals with disabilities was from the perspectives of persons without disabilities, their reactions to persons with disabilities , and their suggestions as to what person with disabilities can do during the communication process to make persons without disabilities more comfortable.  It made me think about the class discussion we had about student development theories and how they initially focused on the research of males, because males were seen as the dominant group.  This article was interesting and the student I had the opportunity to meet touched on many of these points in terms of communication.  He specifically mentioned how he uses humor to lighten up the mood when talking with people who are not visually impaired.  In addition, I agree with the idea of requiring diversity training for faculty and staff. 

Karen A. Myers & Joni J. Bastian. (2010). Understanding communication preferences of college students with visual disabilities. Journal of College Student Development 51, 265-278.

Cognitive-Structural Theories

HOW DO I MAKE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT IS
TRUE, CORRECT, AND RIGHT?    

     This is the critical question when it comes to cognitive-structural theories.  These theories deal with issues or concerns that do not have a clear right or wrong answer.  In addition, the emphasis is on the way people think about what is true, correct, and right, not necessarily what they think.  The movement through cognitive-structural models is sequential and hierarchical, meaning that the structure of thinking becomes increasingly more complex.  I decided to further explore how being a white male, with visual impairments might impact an individual's intellectual development.  The student that I talked to via phone mentioned that it was difficult for him to leave home, but that he knew it was time to go away from being under the direct care of his parents and biggest advocates.  I wonder if students with visual impairments are slower to move away from the early stages of cognitive development?  At this early stage, individuals rely on authority figures as a primary source of knowledge and see things as either right or wrong.  They also consider knowledge something that is received from others and not created or constructed by self.  As a student who is visually impaired, I wonder if you tend to rely more on authority figures such as your parents or if, instead, you look to break away from them and begin to seek knowledge from peers sooner than your peers who are not visually impaired?  Because students with visual impairments realize that they have their own unique needs, I tend to think that they may be more complex thinkers, considering others' opinions, but also expressing confidence in their own opinions and the need to support their ideas with evidence.       
     Thinking back to my phone conversation, the student with visual impairments seemed to be in a stage of relativism, where he was able to articulate his values and supported his thoughts and opinions.  What is difficult to determine is how much his disability plays a role in his cognitive development.  I think the degree to which a disability, such as a visual impairment, impacts intellectual development depends upon the individual.  What I glean from this is the importance of considering all aspects of a person's identity.  A white male student with a visual impairment is not just white, only male or simply visually impaired.  He is all of these things intertwined.  When looking at how a person makes decisions about what is true, correct, and right, he or she will likely share how they come to such decisions, thus giving insight into what aspects of their identity are influencing their cognitive development.

Colleges Discriminate Against the Blind With Google Apps, Advocates Say

Article Overview & My Reaction to the Article From the Chronicle of Higher Education
     Colleges are impressed by Google's free e-mail and word-processing services, but blind students and faculty have found them to be inaccessible.  In March of this year, a civil-rights complaint was filed against New York University and Northwestern University, both of which recently began using the free software services known as Google Apps for Education.  The National Federation of the Blind has asked the Justice Department to investigate both universities for discrimination that violates the Americans With Disabilities Act. 
     The advocacy group, in a series of online videos, shares the problems that occur when blind users access Google's products with assistive software that reads web pages aloud.  For example, Gmail lacks clear labels to alert users to the type of information that they should put in each text field, like the message’s subject or the recipient’s e-mail address
     Inaccessible learning materials continue to present a problem in higher education.  Google told the Associated Press that they had a productive conversation with Marc Maurer, president of the National Federation of the Blind.  Alan Eustace, Google’s senior vice president for engineering and research, said that the meeting convened with Google's commitment to improving their products, but did not further elaborate on the details. 
     The accessibility issue comes at the same time that Google has been trying to push even deeper into the academic arena by recently launching an education-focused section of its Google Apps Marketplace
     The article mentioned that nearly 60% of colleges use outside vendors for their student e-mail. 
Nearly 60 percent of colleges turn to outside companies for their student e-mail, and Google and Microsoft are the leading providers, with more than half of colleges using Google and slightly more than 40 percent of colleges that outsource choosing Microsoft. 
     I initially found it interesting that schools would continue to contract with Google knowing that the product is inaccessible to students with visual impairments and then I wondered if schools ever just simply turn their heads to issues like this and wait until they surface as a public problem.  Because such a small percentage of students on college campuses are visually impaired, is it possible that the problem gets pushed aside until a student or advocacy group similar to the one described in the article files a complaint and raises public awareness of the issue?  How do matters like this affect a student like Drake?  Does a white male with visual impairments advocate for his rights in the face of discrimination or does he prefer to sit back and wait patiently?  It has to be frustrating for something to be inaccessible when every other college student on campus has access to the same thing with no issues or problems.  This article highlights only one small issue of accessibility on a college campus, but it makes me wonder just how many times a day or week a student with visual impairments encounters frustration with accessibility.  I wonder what Google's plans are for dealing with the accessibility of the free e-mail and word-processing services.  How quickly will they be able to fix or address the issue?

Parry, M. (2011, March 15). Colleges discriminate against the blind with Google apps, advocates say. The Chronicle of Higher Education, Retrieved from http://chronicle.com

FarView Portable Video Magnifier...Cool Technology

     In my conversation with "David", the white male student with visual impairments, he mentioned how much he enjoys showing others his cool technology.  One of the items he said that the Ohio Burea of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI) helped him acquire was a FarView Distance Viewer.  He explained that these magnifiers can easiy cost around $1,500 and he was able to receive one at no cost through the BSVI.  It allows people with visual impairments to see things better at a distance and close-up.  The best part is that the magnifier is lightweight and compact, making it ideal to take with you anywhere.  Becaues it looks similar to a digital camera, it doesn't draw as much attention when using it in public.  For a college student, the viewer is ideal for magnifying images on the board or screen in a classroom for real-time viewing.  It also allows students to save an image of the screen or board for later use when studying.  The viewer also allows you to read street signs and menus more easily in fast food restaurants.  The magnifier also allows you to enlarge an image up to 42 times its original size.  Another bonus is that the viewer can be connected to one's personal computer to read images in a larger screen and share images with friends.

A Special Phone Call

 

    Today I made a special phone call to white, male student with visual impairments.  I received his name from the practitioner I met with from the Office of Disability Services.  While I was hoping to meet "David" face-to-face he is off campus living back in his hometown near Dayton, Ohio for the summer.  "David" is a junior majoring in history.  He is in the Honors program and serves as captain on the BGSU mock trial team.  His vision is 20/400 with correction (glasses) and he is considered legally blind.  He shared with me that most of his vision problems stem from oculocoeataneous albinism, meaning he has a lack of pigment that has resulted in pale skin, white hair, and a visual impairment.  "David" shared with me that as a teenager he always knew he wanted to pursue a college degree.  During his senior year of high school, "David' was initially considering attending Wright State University, which he said is located near his hometown and has a great disability service reputation.  Interestingly, he said that those are the two reasons why he decided not to attend Wright State.  He said he felt it was time to move away from home and he did not want his disability to dictate his college choice.  Bowling Green, he said, had a great mock trial team, was in the state of Ohio, and he could get a scholarship.  He went on to share how welcoming the admissions staff were when he came to BG for a campus tour.  The day he toured the campus, he also met with a representative from the Office of Disability Services.  He said he felt that they would help him to obtain the things he needed for his courses (i.e. getting reading materials in large print and providing a place for me to take my exams).  Brian went on to share that he loves history and decided to make that his major.  He added that for someone who is blind, history is actually a poor choice for a major because there is so much more reading required compared to other majors.  Nonetheless, he said he wanted to challenge himself to pursue something he loved.  Next, "David" shared what he was anxious about when he made the transition from high school to college.  He said he was involved in so many extra-curricular activities in high school and with his college workload he would likely have to be more selective about what he said "yes" to.   He also knew the layout of his high school so well and was intimidated by coming to campus that was completely new to him.  He was worried about finding his way around.  He said he has a horrible sense of direction and he is terrible at memorizing landmarks.  He said his method of orienting himself to a new area usually involves getting lost and trying to figure out where he is.  He went on to mention that he receives services from the Ohio Bureau for the Services of the Visually Impaired (BSVI).  I mentioned this organization in the blog post previous to this one.  The BSVI set "David" up with a mobility instructor who took him around campus before classes started his first semester.  Since his first semester at BG, he said he has gotten very comfortable getting to and from his classes and other locations on campus.  "David" explained that he also uses a monocular.  He explained that it is very similar to binoculars, but there is just one lens.  He went on to explain that he does not like some buildings on campus because of the location where they place the room numbers.  Because he is near sided, buildings where the room numbers are located above the door are very difficult for him to see.  To use his monocular he has to remove both sets of glasses- a standard pair that he uses for walking around and a second pair that block out 90% of the light because he is extremely light sensitive.  Initially, "David" said he was also nervous about making new friends at BG.  None of his close friends from high school were planning to attend BGtv shows and movies.  David said that he is often asked about dating.  He would like to date at some point, but right now he said there is no time for dating because going to class and staying up-to-date on his school work takes up so much of his time.  In the future, "David's" goal is to go to law school.  I asked "David" to share some of the common questions, myths or stereotypes that he hears from others regarding someone like him who has a visual impairment. He told me that the most difficult question for him to answer is "How well can you see?" He explained that he has nothing else to compare it to because he this is the way his vision has always been. He asked me how I would answer the question and I told him I didn't have a way to explain that either. In addition, he said that he is often asked if he could undergo surgery to correct his vision problem. This answer surprised me, but at the same time it made me realize "David's" level of maturity. He said, "If there was a surgery to correct my vision I'm pretty certain I would never explore it because being visually impaired is part of my identity. It is part of who I am." He went on to say, "I have been afforded opportunities to meet some amazing people that I would have never met had I not been visually impaired." He said that it is hard for him to see other students who want to hide their disability in hopes that others will not notice it or question it. 
     Having the opportunity to talk with "David" directly really expanded my view of the life of a white male with visual impairments.  He was so transparent with me and willing to answer my many questions.  Even though my voice project will be completed when "David" returns to BG for fall semester, we have plans to meet face-to-face so that I can buy him lunch to thank him for his willingness to talk with me.  I can't wait for that day.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to talk with him.  In so many ways, I realize that he is like any other college student.  And what struck me about "David" is how comfortable he is with who he is and how he has to manage as a student with visual impairments.  His desire is not to change that, rather to succeed and pursue his goals despite his challenges. 

Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (RSC) & the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI)

     One of the resources that a practitioner working with students with visual impairments encouraged me to check out was the Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission's Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI).  The Ohio Rehabilitation Commission Services Commission (RSC), assists people with all types of disabilities to become employed.  The BSVI is committed to helping people with low vision or blindness succeed in the workforce.  The BSVI has offices around the state that employ counselors who assist individuals like Drake with identifying jobs that are a good match for one's skills, interest, and aptitude.  BSVI assistance may also include adaptive devices, computer technology, and job training.  Services through the BSVI are personalized based on one's individual needs, goals, and choices.  Basically the BSVI is exists to provide individuals with visual impairments anything that will help them get and keep a job.  To me, it almost seems like a career services office for students with visual impairments.  Staff assist students like Drake with developing a career plan, preparing for interviews, locating job openings, developing skills for independence, etc. 

     You do not need to be totally blind to qualify for services through the BSVI and there is no age restriction.  BSVI helps people with limited vision obtain special lenses or filters, magnifying devices, or instruction on how to adapt to their environment.  You can refer yourself to the program or be referred by someone like a teacher or a doctor.  The best part is that counseling and most of the other services offered are free. 

     I look forward to meeting a student like Drake and asking them whether or not they have used the services of the BSVI office.  It was encouraging to read in the marketing materials I received about the BSVI some of the personal testimonials from individuals whose lives have been positively impacted by the services offered through the BSVI. 

http://rsc.ohio.gov/bvrbsvi/bsvi/default.aspx