Kaylee Mueller
Fall is almost here, and postsecondary students across Wisconsin are back on campus for another semester of learning. For new college students who are blind or low vision, a college campus can be an intimidating place as they set off on their own for the first time. But with the right skills and resources, students with vision loss can put themselves in a great position to succeed.
One of the most important skills students with disabilities need to learn is how to advocate for themselves. Part of the college experience for all students is learning to speak up to take care of your own needs. That’s especially true for students with disabilities. Being able to recognize what you need and how to get that support is critical to college success. Self-advocacy is a skill that needs to be acquired, and the sooner you begin building that skill, the more successful you’ll be both at college and in the workplace.
One of the first places students with disabilities should get familiar with is their campus disabilities services center. Disabilities offices may have different names on different campuses, but they can be found either on the school’s website or on a class syllabus. The office may send an email to all of your professors and instructors letting them know you have a disability and will need accommodations and then help you secure those accommodations. They normally will not disclose the nature of your disability, just the fact that you will need certain accommodations in the classroom.
Kaylee Mueller is a Council Scholarship recipient and graduate student at UW-Green Bay. As part of her studies, Kaylee helps acclimate new students to college life at the campus’s Student Access and Success office. She says that even if you think you have everything you need to ace your tests, checking in with the disability services office can only help “even if you just stop in and say, ‘Hey, I’m fully independent and don’t need anything at the moment,’” Kaylee says. “You may need help with something down the line. Especially if you’re a first-year student, being on your own can be scary. It can be comforting to know there are people on campus who are in your corner if you need help.”
Once you’re connected with the disability services office, you need to figure out and secure your academic accommodations. These can take the form of a piece of access technology, such as a screen reader, or priority seating in a classroom so you can better see the board or screen containing instructors’ notes. The disability services office may even have ideas for accommodations that you hadn’t thought of. One important accommodation students with vision loss will need is accessible textbooks and classroom materials. Whether you prefer an accessible pdf or a braille version, the disability services office will do their best to get you the materials you need.
“Personally, I like digital textbooks,” Kaylee says. “If I can only find a physical textbook, my school is often able to reach out to the publisher directly to get a digital copy. Otherwise, they’ll cut the book open and scan it page by page.”
After working with your disability services office, you should always meet with your instructors as early as possible to ensure they understand your accommodations. You can be as vague or as specific as you want about your disabilities. When you tell a professor directly what accommodations you need, they are more likely to provide those accommodations as smoothly as possible. Your needs may differ from class to class. Sitting down with your professors and instructors as early as possible gives you the best chance to get what you need without much hassle.
“Don’t be afraid to go to your professor’s office hours!” Kaylee says. “Professors are people too and are likely teaching something they’re passionate about. Most of the time, they’ll be more than willing to help if you’re willing to learn and work with them.”
Finally, Kaylee says new students on campus should enjoy their college years and find ways to get involved. “It can feel easy as a student with a disability to feel like ‘Oh, I don’t want to go because I don’t want to get in the way,’” Kaylee says. “But it doesn’t matter if it’s a club or student organization or an event, go out there and find the things that you want to be a part of. Nobody will think you’re getting in the way. Your time in college will fly by, so get out of your dorm and make memories!”