Organizing for Success
Should Blind Students Use Note-Takers?
Getting the Most Out of Lectures and Presentations
Getting the Most Out of Reading Assignments
Working with Readers
The Experience of Hebrew Study as a Student Who is Blind
Resources for Parents of Blind Children
Braille Literacy Resources
Orientation and mobility: getting around
Education Resources
Family life
Opinions and experiences
Blindness in Depth
Sarah Blake has lived with blindness/visual impairment due to premature birth since childhood. She has had several surgeries to treat complications such as detached retina, cataracts, glaucoma, and cornea damage which threatened her small amount of vision at various points in her life. She is thankful to have learned both braille and print as a young child. She travels with a dog guide.
Sarah graduated from Anderson University School of theology in 2009 with a Master of Divinity. She is a licensed minister with the Church of God (Anderson, IN) and travels as a guest speaker and singer to churches, colleges, and other community groups. She also works with companies to increase features of software that enable blind students to access foreign language materials; and she serves as co-moderator for several online discussion groups.
Sarah provides technology training and support, motivational speaking, and other services. Learn about her services.
Development of content for this site is supported by your contributions, the sale of products through various affiliate programs, and Sarah's work as a writer, speaker, and in other areas listed on her services page. If the material on this site has been helpful or encouraging to you, please consider shopping using the sites linked here--and return to do your shopping anytime using these links to continue supporting this site--or making a contribution using the Amazon Honor System.
Many students enter college feeling confident but find that they don't have the skills necessary to succeed. Most are left to devise their own methods for taking good notes, studying, taking tests, and advocating for their own needs. Those who are in the right places at the right times may meet people from the American Council of the Blind (ACB) or the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and learn of the student groups affiliated with these organizations, where they can network with other students and share ideas and information.
Teachers of students with visual impairments recognize the problem and the need to teach their students how to work with readers, take notes, and study effectively in order to succeed in college. Unfortunately, any of these teachers also feel unprepared to teach these skills,,,,,, and often they don't know where to find information for their students.
Many resources can prepare students for a successful experience. Some of these resources are online, and others are books which are available in various alternative media formats. This page is designed to serve as a guide to some of the best of these resources. They are arranged topically.
Please note: Items marked with an asterisk (*) are located on this site. Links to other items are provided as a courtesy and should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the information or organization supplying it. If one of these offsite links is broken, please feel free to email me. I will be glad to try to locate it if it has moved, but I cannot guarantee success in the search.
If you would like to contribute an article for this site, please contact me using the link above. I am willing to store articles on this server or to provide links to articles stored on other servers.
Reader Services: A Model Program
Mary Willows provides guidance concerning programs that provide "reader services." This article should be essential reading for students who use readers and for DSS providers alike.
The College Experience: Avoiding the Pitfalls of Complacency
In this article, Curtis Chong discusses use of disabled student services by university students, urging students to know their rights and needs and strive toward independence.
Dss Offices and the Age Old Lure of Custodialism
Peggy Elliott discusses the need for students to learn to handle access issues independently, using the matter of access to textbooks as an example Is it the university's responsibility to provide students their books in alternative formats? Read Elliott's opinion.
Suggestions on Academic Accommodations in Various Settings
Professors can help students with disabilities to feel more comfortable with requesting accommodations. Read here to find out how.
* The Experience of Hebrew Study as a Student Who is Blind
In this paper, I discuss the process I used to advocate for accommodations in studying Hebrew, what texts were available, and what arrangements were made at my university in order for me to study Hebrew successfully at the graduate level.
Why Not Just Ask?
Peggy Elliott discusses how she confronted negative attitudes about her ability to complete certain types of courses in college as a blind person. If you have ever asked, "Could I do this?" this article will be inspiring reading for you and perhaps help you to think creatively about your own solutions.
Blind Students Can Succeed in Chemistry Classes
This article comes from a chemistry major who is blind and has excellent tips for building relationships with lab techs and note-takers and arranging for the provision of tactile drawings and diagrams.
Financial Aid Resources for Students with Disabilities (PDF format)
This document from the Heath Resource Center lists some organizations which provide disability-specific scholarships and resources for students who are blind.
* Planning Your Courseload
Many students get bogged down with too many difficult courses or feel bored with the courses they are taking. Here are some tips for planning a balanced courseload.
* Organizing for Success
Starting a new semester can be hectic. Here are some suggestions for organizing your time and supplies.
* Should Blind Students Use Note-Takers?
In this article, I examine the reasons why students should not hire a note-taker and should learn to take their own notes.
* Getting the Most Out of Lectures and Presentations
Here are some tips for taking notes and getting access to visual materials presented in class.
* Getting the Most Out of Reading Assignments
Overwhelmed by all that reading material? Here are some tips for getting through it without wasting your time.
Library Research
Here is advice on each step of planning and carrying out library research, including what to look for while using the library to gather information.
How to Get Access to Print
Dan Burke provides an overview of ways to obtain textbooks and other material in an accessible format.
Tips on Test-Taking
Here are some strategies for successful test-taking.
* Working with Readers
Whether you are new to working with readers or have been doing it for a long time and need to improve your effectiveness, here are some tips for hiring and managing your readers.
The Care and Feeding of Readers
In this article, Peggy Pinder discusses strategies for working effectively with readers, emphasizing the need for compensation to the reader.
Reader Services: A Model Program
Mary Willows provides guidance concerning programs that provide "reader services." This article should be essential reading for students who use readers and for DSS providers alike.
Advice To Blind Student Teachers
This article emphasizes the importance of using alternative techniques which permit efficiency in the classroom, being skilled in classroom management and pre-sudent teaching experiences.
College Prep 101
This is a very informative resource covering how to choose a college, financial aid, student life, study skills and other relevant issues.
The Transition to College for Students with Visual Impairments
This is a comprehensive document outlining the steps in preparing for college academically as well as socially, admissions, financial aid, accommodations, and working with the vocational rehabilitation system.
Advice for Undergraduate Students Considering Graduate School
This document is slanted heavily toward students who are interested in doctoral programs. It describes these programs well but does not offer much information specific to professional or Master's programs.
Writing Personal Statements
Find out how you can spice up your personal statement for graduate school applications.
Avoiding a Big Testing Headache
Here is advice on registering for ETS-sponsored tests such as the GRE. This article discusses ways to take shortcuts in the registration process and avoid seeing a doctor to verify that you are blind. This is not always possible--read for further details.
The following GRE preparation materials are available from Bookshare for registered users with print disabilities. The links below lead to Amazon.com's pages for print copies in case you would like one for a study partner.
Practice tests:
Transitions: Reflections from a College Student
Roommates From Hell
There's More to College Life Than Classes
Getting with the Program
The National Alliance of Blind Students
Cracking the GRE, 2011 Edition (Bookshare edition is 2003)
Master the GRE: 2011
Master the GRE Quantitative Reasoning
Master the GRE Analytical Writing
Master the GRE Verbal Reasoning
Master the GRE Vocabulary List
Diagnosing Strengths and Weaknesses/Practice Test 1
Practice Test 2
Practice Test 3
Practice Test 4
Practice Test 5
Practice Test 6<Other Resources
A college student explains why he prefers to handle his own self-advocacy, order his own books, etc. These are very practical explanations, and it is good to hear them straight from the student's mouth.
Deborah Kent Stein talks candidly about communication problems that can plague roommates, particularly when one roommate is blind.
This brief article provides a few ideas for getting involved in additional activities outside class.
Yolanda Garcia shares how she confronted barriers about blindness and got involved with student government in her dorm and other campus activities. She encourages students to look for activities in their areas of interest and develop relationships with students.
Here you can read about the history of the National Alliance of Blind Students or how to start your own affiliate, get information about the NABS email list, or read back issues of The Student Advocate.
Sarah J. Blake