Off to College: Tips for Students with Visual Impairments
Off to College: Tips for Students with
2 months ago
Visual Impairments
By Laura Magnuson
College is full of new experiences. You will
meet new people, learn new things, and
perhaps be away from home for the first time.
As a person who has a visual impairment,
you may be wondering how you’re going to
do it all. How will you pick a good school?
How will you find all your books and do all
your homework? How are you going to find
your way to class? Will you be able to make
friends with other students? This handout
will answer these and other questions.
First Steps
The first step in transitioning to college is
finding the best school for you. Don’t worry;
you don’t have to do it alone. Your parents,
school counselors, and teacher for the visually
impaired will all help you choose a school
that meets your needs and goals and best fits
with what you want to learn in college.
If you and your parents are able to take
a college’s campus tour, you can begin
to develop a good feel for the school’s
atmosphere. You also can stop by the office
for students with disabilities, which will be
an important resource for you in college.
This office provides supports to students
with disabilities so they will have the same
opportunities to complete their education
as students without disabilities. Talking with
department staff and finding out what kinds
of services they provide can help you decide
about attending that school. (The name of
this office is different for every college, but
the title is similar enough that you should be
able to find it.)
After Acceptance
Many schools invite new students to an
orientation meeting before the school year
begins. If you go, you’ll receive another
tour of the campus and may also have an
opportunity to register for the courses you’ll
take in the fall. Taking this opportunity is a
good idea because it may allow you to obtain
in advance materials you’ll need for class.
As soon as you know which courses you’ll be
taking, set up a meeting with the department
of disability services, even if you don’t know
exactly what kind of help you’ll need. It’s
much easier to obtain its services before
school starts than in the middle of the term.
(Tip: You’ll need medical proof of your visual
impairment from your regular doctor or an
ophthalmologist before you can register for
disability services.)
Accommodations
If you decide you need disability services, a
specialist from the department will help you
determine what accommodations you will
need for your classes. Accommodations may
include such things as an aide for science
labs or a note taker for visual classes such as
geography or math. Your specialist will write
a letter to your professors, requesting the
accommodations you need. This important
letter provides documented proof that
you have a disability and that the school is
obligated to help you.
In some cases, the specialist will deliver the
letters for you, but at some universities, the
trend has been for students to deliver the
letters themselves. Doing so can be a challenge
for students who are uncomfortable speaking
with new people, but this early contact with
your professors gives you three benefits.
First, it allows you to meet with your
professors outside of the class setting where
they won’t be as busy and will be able to listen
more attentively to you. Second, it gives you a
chance to know the professor and be specific
about accommodations you will need. Finally,
it helps you further develop self-advocacy
skills you will need in college and in life.
You may find that some, or perhaps all, of
your professors are unavailable before the
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term starts. If that’s the case, don’t worry. Professors usually
have office hours once the term begins, and you can meet
during this time. You also can speak with the professor the
first day before or after class. Be sure though, that if your
office of disability specialist has charged you with delivering
the letter of accommodation, that you deliver it to the
professor, or to his or her office, no later than the first week
of class.
Materials for Class
Once you have been accepted to a school, spoken with the
department of disability services, and delivered any necessary
letters of accommodation to your professors, the next step is
to collect your syllabi and books for all your courses.
Ideally, you want to obtain these materials ahead of time
and give copies to the department of disability services so
the staff has time to convert them into an accessible format.
Sometimes, however, professors may not decide on the
books for their courses until shortly before classes begin
and may not hand out the syllabus until the first day of class.
If you find yourself in a situation like this, don’t panic. Here
are some steps you can take.
First, e-mail your professors, explain that you have a visual
impairment, and request that they e-mail their syllabi to
you so you have time to have it converted to an accessible
format. You can find their contact information in a faculty
directory either on the college Web site or by calling the
departments in which they are located. If you don’t have
access to the Internet or a computer, call the professors and
ask them to mail a syllabus to you. If you are still unable to
obtain a syllabus before class starts, you will have to wait
until the first day and receive one along with the rest of the
students. Although not ideal, the situation gives you an
opportunity to learn from new challenges.
Books and Other Materials
Depending on your level of vision loss, you may need to
have your books converted into electronic format or Braille.
Once you have your list of required books, go to the college
bookstore, purchase or rent your books, then bring them
to the department of disability services as soon as possible.
If any of your books aren’t available before class begins, don’t
worry. Your fellow students may be in the same situation,
and most professors are understanding if students don’t
have all of the materials the first day or so.
If materials aren’t available before class begins, it’s a good idea
to explain the situation and assure your professor that you
will obtain the material as soon as you can. Although it may
take a couple of weeks for your materials to be converted into
accessible format, you can always use a reader provided by the
disability services department to keep you current in class.
On Campus
Once you arrive on campus, you will probably feel the same
way most, if not all, of your fellow freshmen do: intimidated.
Like many students, you may be away from home for the
first time, and things can seem frightening when they are
unfamiliar. Your parents and others can help make your
adjustment to campus easier.
When you were in high school, a mobility instructor
may have taught you how to travel independently. This
instructor probably taught you how to ask for directions,
cross streets, pay attention to traffic, plan routes, and use
public transportation. You may want to ask this instructor
or someone he or she recommends to meet with you on
campus before classes start to familiarize you with the
locations of your classroom buildings.
If such onsite training is unavailable, all of the skills you
have learned from your instructor are going to be invaluable
once you are on campus. Once you arrive, ask your parents
to help you find the locations of your classroom buildings.
It is best to familiarize yourself with these routes as soon as
possible so you are not lost on your first day of class.
As prepared as you are, you still may end up lost, especially if
the campus is large. The most important thing to remember
in this situation is to not panic. If you allow yourself to
panic, you may become increasingly disoriented and unable
to find help. Remember that many new students become
lost during their first week or so at school. If it happens to
you, the easiest thing to do is to ask someone immediately
to either take you to where you need to go or give you
directions. You may also want to carry a cell phone in case
you need to call a friend, a cab, or campus security.
One other good rule to follow is to remember landmarks.
Depending on your visual impairment, you may be able to
see distinctive buildings or sculptures that you could use to
orient yourself. If you cannot see at all, you might be able to
use auditory landmarks such as a fountain or the bells from
a clock tower. However you use landmarks, they can be a
valuable tool in navigating the campus.
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Socializing
College isn’t just about studying and making good grades.
It’s also about meeting interesting people and socializing.
Incoming students are encouraged to attend many events,
especially during the first week of classes. Individual
dormitories may also set up events such as pizza parties or
movie nights. You will also meet people in your classes, and
if you form friendships with these students, you can socialize
outside of class. Colleges, especially large universities,
usually have many nearby restaurants and coffee shops
where you and your friends can meet. It’s important to
become familiar with these locations so you can travel to
them independently to meet your friends.
You may be afraid at first, thinking no one will talk to you
because of your visual impairment, but don’t assume that
will be the case. You are surrounded by many people you
don’t know and who don’t know you. They may be more
interested in what you are studying or where you’re from
than your visual impairment. If you act like yourself and
let your fellow students see who you really are, you should
soon make new friends.
Conclusion
Going to college can be a challenge for anyone, and it can be
especially so if you are visually impaired. If you follow the
advice in this handout, college may not seem like such an
intimidating thing after all. Remember that you have many
people around you who are willing to help, and you should
feel comfortable asking for that help. College can teach you
many things, not the least of which are skills in advocating
for yourself as a person with a disability. Remember, too, to
have fun and enjoy yourself. College can be one of the best
times of your life.
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