Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Disabled Students' LiveJournal:

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Friday, June 6th, 2008
9:29 am [island_advocacy]	a couple of questions Hi:   These are a couple of questions off the top of my head. I want to try and gage what the feeling is out there, so I have a better idea of whether or not I am going in the right direction regarding my career. If interested in helping me out please send me a message personally or leave a comment. Since I want to work with children with physical/sensory disabilities, that is who the questions are most tailored to, those of you with those types of disabilities. 1. Did your parents have any way of dealing with the fact that they had a child with a disability? Did they know what to do, or were they left to struggle on their own? 2. Was there support for you before you went to school? Did your parents know what services were available for you? 3. Did your parents get the chance to meet with other families who were going through the same thing? Was there arole model for them/for you? 4. What kind of support did you have going to elementary/high school? Do you feel it addressed your unique needs or were there gaps? 5. what was it like for you socially in school? Were you able to make friends easily? Do you feel that your classmates had an understanding of your disability? 6. Were the goals set out for you in your IEP (if you had one) realistic, and were they followed through? 7. Did you ever have the tools to properly learn how to advocate for yourself? Did your parents? 8. was there counselling available for you that was tailored specifically for persons with disabilities? Would you have wanted there to be any? 9. did you ever feel that your parents did not understand what it is/was like for you having a disability? 10. Did you wish you had someone to talk to about it? 11. If you had someone to confide in, did you ever feel that even they could not possibly understand, because they did not have a disability? Do you wish the person had a disability so at least there was that common ground ? 12. do you feel you were prepared to enter the real world (live on your own, get ajob, essentially become part of society) ? (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
11:56 am [island_advocacy]	blind psychology grad students? Are there any blind psych grad students on this list? If so I would love to hear from you... I do not know of any personally. Would love to talk strategy. I hope to go to grad school in a couple of years. (Comment on this)
9:15 am [island_advocacy]	a more elaborate post I realize that my post yesterday was kind of vague, so let me elaborate a bit. I am a psych major and want to be a counsellor for children who have physical and sensory disabilities. I want to provide information to parents about what services are available for their children, let them know that their child is *not* different, or at least not in the way that they think. Also, I want to be there for emotional support for children if they need it. Just to have someone to listen to them... I've also been throwing around the idea of assisting with IEP's in schools. In my experience the people who are there to help you do not always know best mainly because they do not have the disability themselves. I would want to connect with people who have different disabilities from myself to get their perspective. I canèt pretend I know everything about every disability, and I want to know as much as I can about all physical and sensory disabilities that I may be working with. Too many people do not have enough information about different disabilities... However, in my research I have not found anyone who has ever done what I want to do, which is kind of disconcerting to me. Makes me think that maybe I am going crazy and this is a bad career path. So if I could get your input, that would be greatly appreciated. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 3rd, 2008
2:15 pm [island_advocacy]	physical and sensory disabilities Hi: If there is anyone on this community with a physical or sensory disability or is interested in disability advocacy, I would love to talk with you, to bounce off ideas. You can check out my LJ which is devoted to disability issues at island_advocacy Thanks, and hope to hear from you soon. (Comment on this)
Monday, May 26th, 2008
3:57 pm [mactavish]	I need a mobility scooter that folds and/or comes apart and that I can handle myself and haul in my car's trunk, rather than on a rack on the back of the car. I've had a Featherlite from No Boundaries for four years, and it's finally wearing out. I like it as a scooter, it's easy to haul and to ride, but it's had electrical problems from day one. I spent its first few months alternately riding it, hauling it to warranty service centers, picking it up unfixed from said centers when No Boundaries wouldn't pay as much as the fixing places required for servicing (one said, "What they're offering us wouldn't cover what we'd charge to open it up and look inside"), and shipping the motor end to/from No Boundaries. It's worked well for three years now, until recently, when we've had to replace front wheel-motor screws. But this weekend, in the middle of Baycon, it got a short somewhere in the electronics, and just won't go. So I'm shopping for a new, or new/used one, but I'd rather have one with a good reputation for reliability. And again, it also needs to be something I can manage alone. No part should weigh more than about 30 lbs, and it needs to be able to fit in the trunk of a big-trunked car. I'd love your recommendations. Are the No Boundaries Featherlites made more recently more reliable than they were in 2004? Are there better brands? Do you know anything about the Buzzaround? http://ucanhealth.com/product_details.php?pid=GolGB-106_Lightweight_Electric_Scooter If you don't know about specific models, can you point me to an advice/review website that might have information? Thanks. :) Mary (Comment on this)
Thursday, April 17th, 2008
10:18 pm [pablito11]	Hi Guys I just found this community and wanted to give a brief intro.  I'm 27 and nearing the end of my first year of law school; it's been everything I hoped it would be in many ways. I'm both physically disabled and blind (I can see colors, shapes etc.) I have spastic diplegic (or quad) Cerebral Palsy and after various ways of getting around I'm now a full-time wheelchair user. I'm one of only two visibly disabled students at my school; and I don't generally have the opportunity to meet other PWD's. My interest in the law stems from social justice, and being a crip on SSI:). I want to do some kind of public interest work... I'm most interested in helping immigrants, tenants, or poor people. I want to stay as far from a disability-related occupation as possible; which is odd because I'm very proud to be a cripple:). Outside of school I like chilling at coffeehouses, reading, painting, the law, politics, reggae, eating sushi and traveling. (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, April 15th, 2008
2:00 pm [8965]	New- "Medical Withdrawal" What is this? I'm thankful that I found this community! ( Read Along! ) Thank you! Current Mood: crushed (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, April 12th, 2008
10:15 am [mornhyland]	Feedback requested on tricky situation... I'm in a tricky situation right at the moment. I had to take an incomplete in a difficult class that is the first part of a 2 term series. And the teacher allowed me to start the second term while we are finishing the incomplete. The teacher is being very accomindating and understanding, there are no problems with that here (he is a very good teacher). It is just this is one of those very difficult classes. I'm taking the first part Pass/No Pass and am on the borderline of the Pass grade, we both feel that I should get the pass as long as I don't blow the final when I take it. But here is the tricky part. I'm considered a non-resident still this term (last term for that), which means that I'm only allowed to take a max of 8 credits a term. I live in university housing, which means I need to take at least 8 credits to be allowed to stay in housing. This means I need to take EXACTLY 8 credits. IF I don't pass the first part of this class I have to drop the current class, which be at a point in the term that would be impossible to pick up another class to fill in the missing 4 credits. I could lose my housing. If I wasn't swamped with appointments surrounding "why is your optic nerve atrophying", mobility training and trying to adjust to my hearing aids (the point being there is a lot of stuff going on outside of class that is taking up time and resources), I think I might be more confident about the uncertainty of this situation. But, the idea of losing my housing is a stressor that may actually cause things to be worse. Though, I really would like to stay in this class with the rest of the students that I've worked with (being new here still I have few friends and at least know several of the students in this class by name, more than any other class I've ever taken in 4 years). There are good reasons to go forward with the class. But, there are serious consequences if it doesn't work out. I've hired a tutor, but due to limited funds, can't afford nearly the amount of time with him to assure this works out for the best. Any outside feedback? Comments welcome. Thanks Current Mood: determined (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
8:06 pm [evester22]	HIPPA plan? Hey everybody Does anyone have a HIPPA plan from Blue Cross? If so do you like it? Thanks   (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, February 16th, 2008
3:32 pm [lifeteencrazy]	Disabilities in College So I have been asked to give a training about things tutors should know when working with someone with a disability, specificly people with learning disabilities, but this can be in general. What ways could a tutor help you and what things could a tutor have done to be better accomodation wise.  (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, January 27th, 2008
9:08 pm [evester22]	switch-adapted phones Hey everybody I was wondering if you knew of any switch-adapted phones. I’m planning on living independently starting in June. I’m nonverbal so I wont be “talking” on the phone. It will be for emergencies so when someone sees the number it will mean, “Eva needs help”. Thanks Eva (9 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, January 20th, 2008
4:27 pm [evester22]	Cobra and Health Insurance Hey Everyone! I have a question for you.  How did you get your own health insurance (not for Medicare or anything else but private health insurance)? What I understand is companies won't insure me upfront because of my cp (which is stupid), but but if I go on cobra and exhaust that under HIPPA insurance companies legally have to cover me. Have any of you done this? I'm going to call Blue Cross tomorrow but I would love some personal stories too. Thanks, Eva (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, December 16th, 2007
10:08 pm [beginning]	A top Google News story BusinessWeek: Why Dyslexics Make Great Entrepeneurs (Comment on this)
Monday, December 10th, 2007
1:38 pm [slj_blog]	Disability in Advertising Hi guys... I'm currently doing a graphics project which involves advertising to 18-35 yr olds that brings more positive awareness of disability within the UK. Through posting a previous article about disability-orientated advertising before at [Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<lj-user="dyspraxia">') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.] Hi guys... I'm currently doing a graphics project which involves advertising to 18-35 yr olds that brings more positive awareness of disability within the UK. Through posting a previous article about disability-orientated advertising before at <lj-user="dyspraxia"> (I'm registered dyspraxic) I discovered that some people felt that some disabilities were not being catered for with the media. I'd like to know what everyone's opinions are in regard to media advertising bringing awareness of the disabled, what is your personal experience is of it and how you think it should be improved/what should be included? Thanks for your contributions! I really appreciate it! Current Mood: chipper (Comment on this)
Saturday, December 1st, 2007
3:41 pm [evester22]	books for parents Hey all, As some of you know from my posts, I am moving in June out of my parents' house.  They're having a real hard time with it.  I want to know if anyone has any good book recommendations, perhaps written by a disabled adult who has lived successfully on their own.  I am moving no matter what but I would really like to have their support.  Thanks, Eva (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, November 26th, 2007
12:40 pm [djonma]	Universities and funding I'm getting the chance to speak to the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills on Thursday about funding for universities. I'll be one of 20 students there and I'm guessing most people will want no tuition fees and to talk about the terrible decision he made to cut funding for second degrees. I'd like to bring up disabled funding though, and any problems that people have with funding and living expenses through uni whilst being disabled. So... anyone got any ideas of questions I could ask him, or stats, facts, hints? Current Mood: nervous (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Friday, November 2nd, 2007
7:43 pm [chicleeblair]	Disability Arts and Ideas Mods, delete this if it's not allowed: Hi everyone. My friend Carly and I are teens who have disabilities. Neither of us have found too much out there having to do with ideas, arts and other things of people with disabilities. We've started a blog where we discuss these things, and we also want to start a webzine having to do with everything that youth with disabilities would be interested in. We're looking for people who are interested in submitting or helping out. Because there just isn't enough out there! Our website is www.carlyandchelsey.wordpress.com and our email is carlyandchelsey at gmail.com if anyone is interested! PS. Anyone with web design knowledge would be amazing! Current Mood: excited (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, October 27th, 2007
6:23 pm [evester22]	Moving out without blessing Hey everybody, I hope you all are having a great fall. I was wondering – has anyone moved out without their parent’s blessing. I know some of you have seen my other posts about me going to be moving out in June and my parents being less than supportive. Well I have decided I’m moving June 1 no matter what. I’m doing the necessary planning, apartment, aides, money, etc. But I’m terrified about what will happen with my parents. Any stories, advice, etc. would be great. Thanks Eva (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, October 12th, 2007
8:45 pm [yukinoitazuchi]	Cancer and Going Back to College Hello! I was diagnosed with cancer (glioblastoma) last year in November ( Read more... ) Current Music: Exceeding B - Contagious (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 9th, 2007
10:13 pm [mornhyland]	School Update x-posted from my journal Update on Testing accomidations Monday I used the reader/scribe for the quiz. While it was something I have to adjust to in my own head, it did help a WHOLE lot. He helped read the quiz, I would work on the problems and then at the end I had him read it back to me to make sure I had made no errors. As it is math proofs and my handwriting can get confusing with lowercase b's and d's, and I can get them confused when I'm writing them, as well as I can forget to erase and just scribble out, this helped to make the work more readable to someone else who would be reading it. The bottom line was it was a big help and the same person should be there each week to help me with the exams. One of the things I'm supposed to be allowed to use is a word processor, and we've discussed making sure that that word processor is capable of doing math typesetting (LaTeX, not Word with equation editor). But, the teacher has created more drama by telling the testing center that she is afraid I would try to use the calculator on the computer while using the word processor. The testing center assured her that they would be making sure that I didn't do that, to which she responded that they couldn't be watching all the time. There are several flaws in her thinking here. First and foremost is that I'm the ONLY student in the class that doesn't even bring a calculator to class. When there is a problem that could benefit from the use of a calculator I do it out long hand. It has nothing to do with being a wiz at these sorts of calcuations, its just that there is no benefit for me in the use of a calcultor. Pushing buttons and transposing numbers, I might as well have done it by hand, so why not. I didn't even own a calculator until my junior year of college when someone in the math lonuge was amazed I didn't have one and said since they had two I could have one and gave it two me. I have never really learned to use it (though I can used very advanced math software programs, go figure). Second, with a reader/scribe sitting in the room with to help decypher the exam and read back what I have written how would I manage to cheat with something like a calculator? And last and certianly not least. What ever happened to trust and a sense of honor? Do we trust students this little? Really now. I think someone needs to check her paranoia meter. Current Mood: frustrated (24 Comments |Comment on this)