Spring 2003 Disability Services Newsletter

The Advantages of WYNN
by Kristina Topp, Student

WYNN is a program that allows for the scanning of text with a computerized voice reading the material aloud. The versatility of the numerous functions WYNN offers is amazing. WYNN facilitates organization by presenting several methods a person can use to organize personal thoughts, main ideas, and the key terms of the reading. The user has the ability to do everything that could be done with pen and paper, e.g., highlight, outline, annotate, but with more convenience and efficiency. With the highlight function, an individual can highlight a portion of the text and, based on color or symbol given, form lists that create a personal study guide. The WYNN program also simplifies the reading process in that the user does not continually shift back and forth from the computer to the book. The Text/Exact View function enables the reader to view the scanned page exactly as it appears in the book or view the text only. WYNN allows for the customization of the voice and visual settings based on personal preference. The user also controls reading speed. WYNN has the option to read by highlighting several words at a time–a reading strategy Sylvan Learning Center refers to as “chunking.” WYNN also has the capability of accessing the Internet directly so users can read articles.

The most significant advantage WYNN provides for me is that it forces me to read at a faster pace, cutting my reading time as much as two-thirds. The program also makes it significantly easier for me to maintain focus as I am actively engaged in the text by both listening and reading. The WYNN program is an exremely valuable learning aid and I highly recommend it!

Diversity News
Members of the Disability Services staff have been actively participating in improving diversity at CU-Boulder this past fall and continuing working on projects for spring 2003.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Specialist Karen Boyd organized Deaf Awareness Month in September.

In November, the fifth Annual Accessing Higher Ground Conference presented Southwest Missouri State University professor and cofounder of the Landmine Survivors Network, Ken Rutherford, as the keynote speaker.

Disability Specialist Elaine Downing, a member of the Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Minority Affairs, is representing the interests of the disability community in organizing the campus annual spring Diversity Summit.

Disability Specialist Jim Cohn was invited to join President Hoffman's Vision 2010 Diversity Task Force as an advocate for disability issues for the entire CU system.

DS Director Cindy Donahue continues to serve on the Diversity Panel for the CU-Boulder Campus Perspective Program. In addition, Cindy; Jayne MacArthur, our academic advisement and resources program coordinator; and Jim Cohn are leading a committee search for this spring's upcoming disability speaker series.

News from Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services
DHHS had another successful Deaf Awareness Month. Twenty-six Buff football tickets with special seat arrangements were sold to the Deaf community. A group of 13 Deaf kids from St. Vrain Valley School District signed the national anthem at the Buffs football game. The campus bookstore offered several books on sign language and Deaf culture for sale. Norlin Library displayed posters, videos, and books on famous Deaf people, Deaf culture, and sign language. Students on campus sent e-mail to DHHS specialist with questions regarding sign language and Deaf culture. A Deaf student was interviewed for an article in the Campus Press. Karen Boyd, DHHS specialist, was interviewed on the Deaf community's opinion of Ryan Patterson's creation, a golf glove with a mini-screen display that translates sign language into text. A Deaf Chicano/Latino and FTM (female-to-male) from San Francisco presented his personal experience as a transgendered individual. This event was cosponsored by LGBTRC.

Channel 9 News televised a segment on Karen Boyd for “Faces of Colorado,” about her unique personal experiences as a Deaf person in academics.

Rex Moers with Sprint and Karen Boyd provided a workshop on “Telecommu-nication Access: Functional Equivalent?” at the Assist-ive Technology Conference. Rex provided information on the latest telecommunications for the Deaf and hard of hearing such as Internet relay online, video relay service, and CapTel. Karen discussed how to coordinate awareness and training on the campus.

The Women's Resource Center invited Karen Boyd to present an educational and humorous look at growing up in an oppressive hearing society, a unique perspective on sexual/disability harassment in the context of the history of Deaf women. The presentation, “Think Me Can't,” was outstanding and was very well attended.

Student Leadership News
Many students with disabilities have been actively involved in leadership opportunities this past fall. These opportunities included taking course work in leadership, developing a students with disabilities campus support group, serving on advisory boards, giving presentations during outreach programs, and doing volunteer community service. In January, a panel of students, invited by the housing administration, will address campus resident advisors (RAs) on issues related to disability and residential and campus life.

ADDed Mobility
Keith Chamberlain, Student

As I have progressed in a journey of managing my life with ADHD, I have, like others, tried numerous ways to improve my ability to keep track of daily tasks. A piece of paper doesn't automatically remind me of due dates or that I might have forgotten my coat. Planners, post-it notes, calendars, and such are essential. A program like Outlook is good for planning and keeping track of meetings. To use similar programs on my PC is effective as it pages me, but only when I am sitting in front of the computer. Unfortunately, my back cannot bear the discomforting pain caused by transporting a PC with me. What I needed was a lightweight mobile one that has the same attention-getting benefits of a computer. I purchased a Palm m130 PDA with a color screen. The PDA has already rescued me from getting a parking ticket more than once and so it has been a great investment! PDA comes with date book software, a to-do list, and it even synchronizes with a computer, which is critical for coordinating the information on my computer. Also, the PDA has some add-on software for keeping track of my classes so I can see how I'm doing in my classes without having to wait for midterms. This simple addition to my self-accommodation arsenal has been very beneficial!

This device stores reminders for what I need to do immediately. PDA is beyond my contingency plan. It can do the things a paper can, such as the grocery lists, and phone numbers, yet it does it all in one consolidated place. The PDA is not a cure for ADDness, but it provides me with an opportunity to be more proactive. I highly recommend the use of a PDA device for any ADDers. The PDA is not a luxury device to own; it's a responsible, self-accommodation that most ADDults should not be without. Even for a nontech savvy person, the PDA is user friendly and easy to learn. It's a good idea is to get to know other PDA users who share similar challenges. There are several people, including myself, who would appreciate the opportunity to help you get acquainted with your new PDA.

How Can People with Learning Disabilities Become Successful?
Why do some people with learning disabilities become successful after leaving school, while others still struggle with the inability to improve their lives and careers? Two researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University have developed a model which defines the characteristics necessary for success. These characteristics or alterable patterns are aspects of thinking and behaving that can be changed once they are identified. Listed below are the major concepts identified in the research of Dr. Paul Gerber and Dr. Rick Ginsberg that contribute to success in the workplace:

• Having control in one's life
• Possessing a strong desire to succeed
• Being goal-oriented
• Reframing. Being able to recognize, accept, and fully understand one's learning disability
• Not letting your learning disability define who you are
• Being adaptable and persistent
• Maximizing strengths and minimizing weaknesses
• Surrounding yourself with supportive people and finding mentors
• Focusing on long term goals versus short term gratification
• Learning how to self-soothe, to become self-nurturing, to let go of the internal critic

If you would like to learn more about Alterable Patterns of Success in Highly Successful Adults with Learning Disabilities, call Elaine Downing at 303-492-5613, or e-mail downinge@colorado.edu.

Specialist Attends International Conference
Kathy Bowman attended the International Dyslexia Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on November 13-16, 2002. About 3,400 professionals from around the world attended this conference. The speakers and presenters were experts in the fields of reading, language deveopment, and teaching students with learning disabilities. Many of the workshops and keynote addresses were presented by researchers who work with reading development and the resulting instructional implications. One session was presented by the assistant secretary of the Office of Special Education in Washington, D.C. He discussed current policy development in education. Other workshops were on subjects such as accommodations, models for assessment at the postsecondary level, a research study that compared reading patterns of learning disabled studentsin college to other college students, ideas for helping students organize their time and materials, adult literacy development, and new models for diagnosing learning disabilities. Kathy is grateful for the opportunity to attend this excellent conference and subsequently sharing the information with her colleagues.

Annual Student Survey
Students now can complete the survey with a convenient hand-held device in the Disability Services main office (Willard 322).