Comments on: Expensive Tastes and Reasonable Accommodations

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 21:08:42 +0000

Guilty? Maybe you can try to see how colleges and universities are spending on diversity programs (disability is not part of many cmapus’s diversity programs). There are millions doled out for diversity by ethic and minorities groups center, special graudate ceremonies, etc. Nothing for the deaf students.

By: DeafLinux

DeafLinux — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 06:00:23 +0000

For most culturally and linguistically Deaf person would benefit from using CART services. When I had both (Interpreter and CART) services available to me which gave me an advantage on learning. Metaphors are used a lot in graduate schools and CART is not clear; however, with an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter makes it so clear. Two tools are really an asset to learning. If one can have both and you will be ahead of the game also do not be afraid to request both. You can say, “I cannot see the lecturer while I am taking notes.” You can compare your notes with CART print-outs (diskette).

By: Bystander

Bystander — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 04:05:24 +0000

I understand how you might feel guilty because your accommodations cost a lot of money. Worse, your accommodations are ephemeral. They aren’t available to the next student who comes along unlike a wheelchair ramp or a VRS phone booth. Once your class is over, the interpreter or CART provider leaves and that room is not accessible to the next deaf person who comes along. Universities promote this feeling of guilt by hiring a well-meaning accessibility coordinator with an unreasonably small budget. It makes perfect sense that you might feel bad using up their entire budget on a couple of classes, study groups, a few lectures, and a play. It is convenient that you feel that way because that is how the university wants you to feel. It isn’t right. But they count on you feeling this way. When the well-meaning accessibility coordinator says that she can’t afford to hire interpreters for your study groups she is comparing your request to the wrong budget. She should be comparing your request to the budget of the entire university. Is the two, five or fifteen thousand dollar budget for your semester a reasonable amount for an institution with a budget of $300 or $400 million? That is the right question to ask. Don’t feel guilty. Your request might be too much for a small non-profit but your interpreting or CART request isn’t an unreasonable amount for a major university to spend to ensure something approaching equal access.

By: Mike

Mike — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 03:11:42 +0000

I took grad classes in the mid-1990s in DC. I told the disabiled students services office (DSS as it is often called) which sign language interpreters I wanted. I did not want ASL terps because this was grad schools. The ones I picked also have MA degrees or higher so they knew what I was going through.
many universities have deaf students in grad schools, law schools, medical schools, etc.
many had deaf in undergraduate but often they transferred to Gallaudet or NTID or CSUN later.

CART, captioning etc are all good.

Don’t forgoet the majority of disabled students in higher education are non-deaf.

By: Sir Tifie Dinsane

Sir Tifie Dinsane — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 21:29:12 +0000

You need to email disability person right away — sooner the better JHU is prepared for you or at least as the money ready to support you.

By: David Stuckless

David Stuckless — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:53:39 +0000

Anonymous, tell that to the person that handles the budgeting for special services.

By: David Stuckless

David Stuckless — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 14:54:09 +0000

Erin, don’t answer Jim Bob’s question…

You’ll kill that personal ad I have posted on the DeafDC dating site. ;)

By: dp

dp — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 02:59:51 +0000

JT, you are right, certain terms/ “tests” (or at least specific phrasing of these tests) are very important in law. I neglected to mention that my interpreters are THE BEST I have ever seen. It makes all the difference in the world if the interpreter is educated and brilliant. I had some subs - if they were - say - not-so-smart, they could not do it. Experience helps as well - I am their second deaf law student. My interpreters know which terms/tests/word order etc are important, and which are not. So, I never feel behind when they interpret. But, with my subs, I always have to study an extra hour or two to “catch up.” I guess, for Erin, she should do some research to see how experienced or educated the available interpreters are in her particular field if she is interested in this option. But JT/Rob are right - I am not quite on an equal footing when it comes to class participation. With an interpreter, I at least have a voice, even though it might be lagged. With CART, I am precluded from having a say.

By: Keri

Keri — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 01:28:16 +0000

I don’t feel guilty either. In fact, when I see someone tell another person that it’s too expensive to accommodate them, it pisses me off, especially if a Deaf person said that to a hard-of-hearing person who knew very little sign but wanted to be involved with the Deaf Women United regional conference!!!! While I am aware that it is the responsibility of the deaf/hoh person to request for accommodations, the organizer should have expected that some deaf women would need CART or TypeWell services and had the equipment set up just in case. There are plenty of organizations that would be willing to cover the cost for that. I’m going to make sure there will be a variety of accomodations provided at the New England Deaf Women Conference in Vermont in 2008. =)

By: kaybee

kaybee — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 00:19:58 +0000

ditto. it’s exhausting to hear people saying “our budget doesn’t support it” “there’s not enough room in our budget”. it would be nicer to say “you’re expensive”. it’s the society’s way of disabling us.