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

Willing to View Life From Another Person's Shoes

     I sense that something is changing inside of me.  And the change isn't only related to learning about students like Drake who are visually impaired.  As a result of the voice project I am becoming more aware of the words that come out of my mouth about others.  I am more tuned in to catching myself making assumptions about others and I am more aware when I hear others making assumptions, too.  It's like I've always viewed life from my own shoes and now I'm viewing life from the perspective of many other shoes.  This weekend an acquaintance of mine shared a story about buying a dresser from someone off Craig's List.  She said that she went to pick up the dresser and two guys helped her load the dresser.  She explained the details of the transaction and told me that the two guys were gay.  I immediately wondered why she felt the need to tell me that the two guys were gay.  That didn't have anything to do with her purchasing the dresser.  She must have seen the puzzled look on my face as I was questioning in my mind why she shared this because she quickly went on to explain that she doesn't have anything against gay guys.  She said she even has a few friends who are gay.  Because she was only an acquaintance I didn't press her any further, but I've thought about the situation several times since it happened.  I wonder how many times I've said something similar to what she said.  My awareness of others and their identity is definitely heightened as a result of the voice project.  I guess I was expecting to have a heightened awareness for students like Drake, but I didn't know that it would necessarily spill over into other areas.  The interaction I described above made me think more about my own privilege as a white, Christian female.  It bothers me that in the past I have been a person that is so quick to make assumptions.  What I am learning is impacting me and I know that I am changing in positive ways as a result of what I'm learning.  I'm beginning to feel the urge to educate others and make them aware of their assumptions about people who are different from them.  Changes like I'm experiencing are scary because I've never been one who wants to start conflict, but at the same time, I am finding it difficult to sit back and listen to others make comments about others based on assumptions and stereotypes.  I want to continue to gain understanding around others' differences and share what I'm learning with my friends and family in hopes that they will start to see things differently, too.  I think the world would be a better place if we were all willing to look at life from others' shoes.

Student Success vs. Equal Access

 Office of Disability Services

     
Yesterday I had the opportunity to interview Lea Anne Kessler from the Office of Disability Services at Bowling Green State University. Lea Anne was a graduate of the CSP program at BGSU and meeting with her about how students with disabilities adjust to college was very insightful. She shared with me the educational philosophy around serving students with special needs at the high school level versus the college level. She talked specifically about special education programs in high school and how they focus on setting the student up for success. In college, however, there is a transition from the idea of success to that of equal access. In high school students may be given many modifications, whereas in college there are less actual modifications and the focus is geared toward making sure all students receive equal access. She also shared that there is quite a shift in responsibility for students with special needs as they leave high school. Students must become their own advocates, whereas in high school their parents and teachers, in most cases, were doing all of the advocating for them. In addition, students must sign a release to give parents permission to receive specific information regarding their education at the college level.

      She discussed the following common classroom modifications that are made for students with visual impairments:
* extended time to complete tests, quizzes, and exams
* reader for their exam
* scribe
* tape recorder to record lectures
* class notes available electronically so they can use software to read the notes
* Large print books
* Books available electronically

      Regarding modifications, Lea Anne said that the student with a disability has an added responsibility to meet with their professors to discuss their disability and share the letter from the Office of Disability Services stating the specific modifications they will require in order to receive equal access.

      Lea Anne shared that one of the most rewarding aspects of her job is seeing students grow and develop and take ownership for their education. And one of the most challenging things she faces in working with students with visual impairments is making sure they are up-to-date on using technology. She added that very few students use braille anymore because technology is so advanced with software programs that can read any electronic document to a student. Last minute requests can also be tricky. Lea Anne explained that something as simple as a faculty member adding a last-minute journal article reading can create challenges because the student needs the article quickly in a format that they can use. Lea Anne also shared the name of a visually impaired student who is willing to meet with me so I look forward to arranging this face to face visit.

      Lastly, she gave me the name of an Ohio resource commonly used by students with visual impairments. It is called the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired. I plan to check into this organization to see what sorts of services and programs it offers students with visual impairments.

Admissions- Does He Feel Like He Matters?

     Yesterday I went on a college site visit to a local community college.  The group I went with had the opportunity to meet with the Dean of Students.  He talked to us about the importance of one's values and having a value system that you can articulate as a student affairs professional.  He specifically spoke to an important value that he looks for in any staff member he hires to work in admissions.  He said it was critical for these professionals to believe that every individual has a right to attend college and attempt to earn a college degree.  In addition, it is important for professionals to value all forms of education from a certificate program to an associates or bachelor's degree because students come to a community college with different goals.  He added that the culture in the Admissions office and actually across the campus at large is that "every student matters."  I totally agree with this statement, but it made me wonder if someone like Drake who has a disability, has felt like the student affairs professionals he's come in contact with display this value.  Is this culture something unique to a community college or can students like Drake find this culture at a large state university or a private liberal arts school?  I couldn't help but think about the impact of words, conversations, etc.  As student affairs professionals we must choose our words carefully when working with students.  Our conversations with students have an impact and we want to make sure that our words are encouraging.  We need to offer students the correct balance of challenge and support.  Students need to know that they matter.  And to push this point further, they need to know that they matter even if they have a disability.  This makes me think even bigger picture about the idea that ALL students- no matter what their disability, gender identification, age, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religious affiliation, etc.- need to know that they matter.  I am starting to see how I compare and contrast others that I meet against my values system, how I grew up, what my life is like, what I feel is important.  I need to shed this idea of me being "normal" and everyone else being "not normal" because what is "normal" anyway.  I'm beginning to understand the need to have an appreciation and an understanding for differences.  It never struck me that I didn't have a deep appreciation for others who are not like me.  It's difficult to admit that I've held so many wrong assumptions and have been so quick to judge others.  I know that this appreciation and understanding of differences in others is going to be a process.  I catch myself asking friends and family members not to say words like "gay" or "retarded."  I've mentioned the importance of giving people a chance before writing them off.  As I enter my internship in academic advising at Owens next month I want to carry with me this idea that "every student matters."  In a way, I feel as though my judgement creeps in when I look at a person and start to form assumptions based on what they look like, what they are wearing, how they talk, etc.  Again, I think of someone like Drake, who is visually impaired, and I wonder if he's less quick to pass judgement on someone because he doesn't pass judgement on what the person looks like.

    

Transitioning to College

    
     For a male student with visual impairments like Drake, transitioning to college will likely involve some challenges.   In an earlier entry I talked about one challenge that a student shared regarding learning to navigate a new campus.   In addition, if Drake is shy he may have difficulty making new friends.  He may find it hard to find friends who understood his disability.  In addition, it may be challenging to find friends who do not treat him differently because of his visual impairment. 

In order to assess a student like Drake, regarding how he is handling these challenges, I have learned that I could interview him and apply Nancy Schlossberg’s transition theory.  In Schlossberg’s theory, transitions are events or non-events resulting in changed relationships, routines, assumptions, and/or roles (Evans, Forney, Guido, Patton & Renn, 2010).  To help Drake take stock of their assets and liabilities, I could walk them through the four S’s, which are the situation, self, support, and strategies.  Regarding the situation, we could talk about things like control, role change, previous experience with this type of transition, and other stress that may be happening at the same time that he is dealing with the transition of navigating a new campus and making new friends.  In terms of self, we could discuss Drake's outlook and his commitment to managing these two challenges.  I could ask Drake what types of support he has in place to help with these transitions.  I could also make Drake aware that he is currently moving though the transition to college and we could talk about his perception of the transition.  I could also discuss strategies to help Drake manage the transition.  In this particular situation, I would make several recommendations for Drake to consider in coping with navigating campus and making new friends.  I would encourage him to meet with a staff member from the office of disability services in order to learn more about the resources they could provide in helping the student to navigate the campus.  I would suggest that he remain open-minded when learning about the resources.  Perhaps the office employs a mobility instructor  who works one on one with students who need this type of assistance.  Or maybe there are students who volunteer to assist students with visual impairments as they learn their way around campus.  I would also ask Drake if he had a parent or close friend who would be willing to offer assistance with learning how to get from place to place on campus.  I would also suggest that he begin planning ahead for the next semester as soon as he receives his new class schedule.  In terms of the Drake's desire to make new friends, I would encourage him to consider campus activities that he may want to join and I would have him set a goal of attending one or two meetings that sound interesting.  I would suggest that he introduce himself to other students in his class and think about inviting a student to lunch or asking a student if they would be interested in studying together.  The Office of Disability Services may also be a great resource in offering assistance to Drake in how to go about making friends with other students who may be able to understand his disability.  If Drake lived in a residence hall, I would suggest that he  attend planned group activities.  I would talk to him about the need for patience and how both the challenge of navigating a new campus and making new friends can be a process that takes time.  Drake may lack confidence in developing friendships and needs to gain competence in navigating a new environment.  Working with the Drake to address the 5 S’s will give the student a better perspective of what assets and liabilities are in place.  In discussing strategies, the Drake needs to experience a necessary amount of challenge and support.  Setting goals and following up with him to help hold him accountable could prove to be very helpful as well. 

Reference

Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010).  Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2^nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 

Developing Competence & The Kindle Controversy

     Something struck me today as I was thinking about a discussion we had during our 6010 Class this week.  We were talking about the functional area of Disability Services and the topic came up about students with special needs leaving high school and transitioning to college.  I'm wondering how this process went for Drake?  Was it a rocky road or a smooth transition?  I'm assuming there were some bumps in the road.  In the k-12 system students with special needs have an Individualized education plan clearly laying out goals and objectives.  This plan also includes a support network of teachers, administration, social workers, parents, etc. who are committed to helping the student achieve their educational goals.  Intervention specialists in the K-12 classroom work closely with regular education teachers to make modifications for students with special needs who may spend part of their time during the school day within the context of the regular classroom.  What happens to that student with special needs when they decide to pursue a degree?  How do they get the services and modifications they need to be successful in the college?  Are they able to handle the responsibility of being their own advocate?  In addition to meeting with Drake to discuss this, I also want to meet with someone from the Office of Disability Services to discuss the programs and services they offer students like Drake who are visually impaired.  It made me wonder if faculty are flexible in working with students with special needs.  Again, I realize how students with visual impairments may struggle with developing competence.  Students with visual impairments also need access to the same things that students without visual impairments need access to at colleges and universities deserve full and equal educational opportunities.  There has been quite a debate, for example, about the use of the Kindle by colleges and universities across the U.S.  Some universities are refraining from using Amazon's Kindle DX in the classroom until the device is fully accessible to students who are visually impaired or blind.  The Kindle has a text-to-speech feature, but menus on the device are not accessible to the blind, making it impossible for a blind user to purchase books, select a book to read, and activate the text-to-speech feature.  As technology advances, colleges and universities are challenged with making sure that all students with disabilities have the same opportunities as other students.  I wonder what Drake thinks about issues like this?  Is he actively involved in advocating for his personal rights?  How do challenges like this affect his identity?