My biggest IEP goal, learning to self advocate, and how it has helped me more than I ever imagined

Shortly before the day of my high school graduation, my mom received a phone call from the state department for visual impairment services asking if I was graduating from high school and if I was interested in their services for vocational rehabilitation for college students.…

When preparing for an IEP meeting, a 504 Plan meeting, or a Disability Services meeting, parents and students will often be asked to come up with sample accommodations that can be used to provide services for students in the classroom. However, it can be very…

I’ve talked a lot about accommodations for low vision students on my website, though many of my posts have focused on accommodations for print materials or the use of assistive technology. Another important consideration for helping low vision students to thrive in the classroom is…

As my eye condition and neurological condition have changed over time, I have received extended time accommodations on all my tests and exams, including standardized tests that I took in high school. When one of my friends was researching extended time accommodations of their own,…

Even though I have trouble seeing in all my classes (and outside of my classes for that matter), my math test accommodations for low vision look a bit different than the testing accommodations for my other classes. This is because in math, every letter, number,…

I receive disability accommodations in college for two different medical conditions- an eye condition that causes low vision and a neurological condition called Chiari Malformation. Both my eye and brain condition cause me to experience light sensitivity, sometimes referred to as photosensitivity, and my accommodations…

Important addresses to keep in college, great for orientation and mobility instruction

When it came to getting items for my college dorm and day-to-day life, it was easier and less time consuming to order items online and have them mailed directly to my college mailbox. However, while I was able to get packages at my front door…

Instead of traveling to the Disability Services testing center on-campus or taking exams in a traditional classroom environment, many of my professors and professional certification exams provide students with remote testing options that allow them to take exams from home with their own technology. My…

I’m taking a couple of classes at a community college this summer to transfer back to my university, and one of the first things I did after enrolling as a visiting student was contact the Disability Services coordinator so that I would be able to…

As students of all ages begin planning registration for upcoming classes, I have received many messages asking questions about choosing virtual classes and how to figure out whether a class will be accessible or not for students with disabilities or other access needs. As a…

As a college student with a disability and chronic illness, there have been times where I’ve been unable to attend my physical classes due to issues with my health or other factors. Luckily, my professors are awesome and allowed me to attend my physical classes…

A common question I receive from parents of kids with low vision or people who are losing their sight is about the most common classroom accommodations for low vision students. Even as my vision has changed over time, my accommodations have stayed fairly consistent from…

The other day, I was talking to a new friend who had recently started losing their vision about going to college with a visual impairment. One of the questions they asked me was about Disability Services files, and whether it was important to get one…