[Sierra]

I am sorting out a series of diagnoses I have received since 2007, in terms of their impact on grad school. I will begin grad school one year from now (I've taken a one year deferment for unrelated reasons).<br><br>
The diagnosis I have received impact learning. For privacy, I will not name the specific diagnoses. In particular, however, they impact: memory, processing speed, and processing of the written word. They are semi-new developments in my life and are progressive in nature.<br><br>
The biggest thing I am worried about is my recent difficulties with written word. I am now mis-identifying certain written words (seeing one word and identifying it as a different word), and my mind has begun to separate words into parts rather than allowing me to see them as whole words.<br><br>
I am in love with the audio book option right now! I have recently enjoyed several audio books, and fortunately seem to be able to process information at a good clip as long as it is auditory.<br><br>
However, it is difficult and expensive (and seemingly impossible) in almost all cases to acquire audio versions of the types of books I will be reading in school.<br><br>
I have this vision of a pen-like device I could run over book text to make it speak the text in audio. I think I may be dreaming, however <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/greensad.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="greensad">.<br><br>
What assistive technologies, if any, might be available to help in a case like mine?

 

[Sierra]

Ooooooh! Awesome! I just found something like what I have been envisioning: <a href="http://www.independentliving.com/prodinfo.asp?number=756998" target="_blank">http://www.independentliving.com/pro...?number=756998</a>. *And* its something I could save enough pennies to buy over the next year (some of the readers look great, but they cost a thousand dollars or more, which is waaaaaay out of my league).<br><br>
Would this really work?<br><br>
Edited for update: Reviews don't look good. Alternatives?

 

[LynnS6]

I don't know how expensive this is, but I've considered this for my mother who is blind: <a href="http://www.knfbreader.com/index.php" target="_blank">http://www.knfbreader.com/index.php</a><br><br>
It's supposed to have better reading capabilities than the off the shelf pens.<br><br>
But if you have a diagnosis that impacts your learning, your university is obligated to accommodate your needs (akin to an IEP). Even for graduate school. You can (and should) request that books be read for you. Someone will read them into a tape (well, probably some sort of electronic file now) and you can then listen to that. It will obviously increase the amount of time that you are going to need for 'reading', but it can be done.<br><br>
You can also get a note taker, if you need one. Usually it's someone else who is taking the class who can then also take notes carefully for you. I've even had students who took exams orally instead of written. This student had to still write the papers (which was a challenge for her), but the final exam we did orally since it was about content, not writing.

 

[Sierra]

Thanks Lynn! I am just starting to explore the whole "registering with the campus office for those with disabilities" option. I took the first step today in calling the doctor for the proper paperwork.

 

[beachcomber]

Hi Sierra,<br><br>
I work at a uni. If blind students don't have access to a Braille version of a book, then an audio option must be created for them. Someone will read a book chapter by chapter and it gets recorded so the student can access it.<br><br>
What about using a scanner and OCR software on your computer. Students at my uni can have books scanned page by page then they can use OCR on their own lap top computers to have each page read.

 

[Geofizz]

Register for the Office of Disabilities. ASAP.<br><br>
I love our office here. From the perspective of a professor, they are great and proactive and easy to work with. I have one dyslexic student who has a reader, and a deaf student who attends class with two simultaneous ASL translators. They make it easy for me to administer exams under adaptive conditions, and they have a hotline I can call in case I'm worried about a particular assignment. I used them for advice for one situation where the student wasn't registered with ODS (microscope labs requiring seeing colors for a colorblind student).

 

[Sierra]

Thanks folks! This is helpful and motivating. I am probably going to wait until later in the year to get registered with the university I will be attending, but this fall I am taking one class at another university (they offered it to me for free, as they are trying to entice me to come be a student there instead).<br><br>
Yesterday I emailed the dean of students at that university, whose office takes the disability registrations, to get more information. I haven't heard back anything, and I am feeling really vulnerable. Part of my feeling of vulnerability comes from the fact that they asked somewhere on the application or registration forms about whether I have a disability (which I am sure was a form not used to screen applicants, as I know that isn't legal...it must have been for planning purposes, but still…). I said "no." At the time, I did not have as much information about my diagnoses and I was doing better. Anyway, the dean was one of two people who advocated for offering me the free class, so I know it is weird, but I feel like I misled them. If I did, it wasn't intentional. I didn’t know then what I know now.<br><br>
My email was long. It took a long time to write. You know when you pour your heart and soul into an email and then it’s like you can hear it thud in the silence? It’s giving me so much anxiety, and this isn’t even the university that I am supposed to go to…I hope it is a more smooth experience at my university.