Full Transcript
Becca Weber:
You kind of have to work a little bit harder, to get the things that you need.
Speaker 2:
Introducing, Becca Weber.
Becca Weber:
Definitely in high school, it was a lot harder to make friends as well, because high school kind of stinks for everyone.
Speaker 2:
College student, volunteer for the National Homework Hotline for Blind and Visually Impaired Students.
Becca Weber:
I reach out to my TVI a lot, who I had in high school, and she taught me technology. And I ask her questions a lot about what to do in my career, and what she thinks about this pathway, or that pathway.
Speaker 2:
Online, with Simon Bonenfant.
Simon Bonenfant:
Simon Bonenfant here.
Becca Weber:
I would say that you are your best advocate, and you know what works for you and what doesn’t. And self-advocacy is really important, especially as you get into college and the workforce.
Speaker 2:
For more podcasts with the blindness perspective, check us out on the web at www.blindabilities.com. On Twitter, @BlindAbilities and download the free Blind Abilities app, from the app store. That’s two words. Blind Abilities.
Becca Weber:
I just, I miss being face to face with people. I feel like I learn more when I interact with other people, face to face.
Speaker 2:
And now, please welcome Becca Weber, with your host, Simon Bonenfant.
Simon Bonenfant:
Hello, everyone on Blind Abilities, this is Simon Bonenfant, here. We’re here, in the midst of the coronavirus quarantine. I’m talking to Becca Weber. Becca, how’s it going today?
Becca Weber:
I’m good. How are you?
Simon Bonenfant:
I’m doing well. Becca, you and me have known each other for many, many years, we’re friends, and it’s great to be able to sit down and talk today.
Becca Weber:
Yeah.
Simon Bonenfant:
So, why don’t you talk a little bit about your background, and talk about your journey.
Becca Weber:
I am blind. I’ve been blind since I was younger. I have ROP, which is retinopathy of prematurity. So basically, my retina in my left eye is partially detached, because I was born premature. I was born at 24 weeks. I have no vision in my right eye, and I have some vision in my left eye. I attended a school for the blind from kindergarten all the way to eighth grade, and then I attended a mainstream high school. Now I’m at Kutztown University, studying to be a TVI.
Simon Bonenfant:
It’s kind of neat. I was thinking about this the other day that, me and you actually went to the same grade school. And now, I’m going to the same high school that you went to. So, it’s really neat.
Becca Weber:
It’s pretty cool. Yeah. I had great TVIs in high school, so I wanted to become a TVI as well. So I think that definitely played a role in me deciding on entering the vision field.
Simon Bonenfant:
And what was your experience growing up as a blind student, and a blind child, and how did your family and your friends interact with it? How did that go?
Becca Weber:
I would say, I’ve been able to meet a lot of cool people in the blindness field. Definitely now that I am beginning to be a TVI, am studying to be a TVI. When I was in grade school, I had a lot of friends, because we all were blind. So it was kind of easy to make friends. The mainstream school, because our school, both of us went to St. Lucy-
Simon Bonenfant:
Yep, St. Lucy.
Becca Weber:
… the school for the blind. And then we had the mainstream, regular elementary ed school. It was kind of harder to make friends there, because they kind of just saw us as the blind kids, and then, they were just the sighted kids. And the teachers kind of taught us to, “Go hang out with them.” And we kind of did our own thing, and they did their own thing. Definitely, in high school, it was a lot harder to make friends as well. Because high school kind of stinks for everyone, and everyone would just be like, “Well, you’re blind, and I don’t want to hang out with you.”
Becca Weber:
But I think, when you get into college, people don’t care that you have a disability, or care that you’re blind. So, that’s nice. And you meet a lot of different people, from a wide variety of backgrounds. In high school, I think junior and senior year, that’s kind of when I started to make some friends and got more involved. But college is definitely a lot better than high school, I think.
Simon Bonenfant:
So, when you transitioned from the grade school to high school, at Archbishop Carroll, which is where I’m at, as a junior now. And I can say, and I’m sure you can as well, it’s a great school there.
Becca Weber:
It is, yes.
Simon Bonenfant:
How did you like it? Did you enjoy it, and how were the teacher’s accommodations, things of that nature?
Becca Weber:
I liked it a lot. I think the teachers were great. Some of them you had to really nag to get things done, but most of them were really accommodating, because when I was there, I was one of the first blind students who ever went to that high school. So it was kind of like I would tell them what they needed to do, and they did a good job. I think definitely, being in a Catholic school, you kind of have to work a little bit harder to get the things that you need. And, they did a great job. Definitely some of them, you really need to be on them, and make sure that you get the accommodations that you need, because you have a right to those, as a student. But yeah, they did great.
Simon Bonenfant:
When you were deciding on what to do for college, and what to do for a career, what was your thought process like? And, as a college student, and the direction you want to go as a career?
Becca Weber:
At first, I really wanted nothing to do with the blindness field in general, because I was like, “Well, I shouldn’t just do a job that a blind person can do. I want to do whatever I want to do.” So I went to a program in the summer, going into my junior year, it was called Summer Academy. I know you went to Summer Academy, as well.
Simon Bonenfant:
Yes I did. Yes.
Becca Weber:
I loved it. I thought it was awesome. It’s a program that prepares blind students for college. They’re in high school, and it prepares them for either college or going to a trade school. So you learn technology, you learn orientation and mobility, you learn how to cook and how to do other daily living skills. And, you do a lot of recreational activities. Unfortunately, funding got cut to the program, so a lot of things are cut. But it’s still a great program, and still is very valuable, for high school students.
Becca Weber:
One of the classes was called vision rehabilitation therapy or VRT. I was in that class one day and I was like, “I really like this, and I want to explore this more,” and see what I wanted to do. And then, when it came to applying for colleges, I was like, “I don’t really want to go to college in a random field, and a random degree, and then get this degree.” So I was like, “Oh, why don’t I just go to Kutztown, for the TVI program?” Because, I knew I wanted to be in the vision field. I just didn’t know, to what extent. Like, working with kids or working with adults.
Becca Weber:
So, I definitely love the vision field, and I am very close to getting my certification. I’m a junior now, and I just need to pass the math praxis for, to get teacher candidacy, so I can student teach. Because, I’m terrible at math. But yeah, I’m really excited to go into the vision field.
Simon Bonenfant:
Well, congratulations.
Becca Weber:
Thanks.
Simon Bonenfant:
How is Kutztown with accommodations, and the way they do their work there? I know that Kutztown has a very strong vision program, there. How has that been, in terms of accommodations?
Becca Weber:
They’re awesome. Their disability services is great. I actually work for the disability services office. They’re awesome. They make sure you have all your accommodations and, they really go above and beyond, to make sure that those students have everything that they need.
Simon Bonenfant:
That’s great. Now, as a blind person, we all know this, that we have to really become capable with the advocacy skills, and really able to advocate for ourselves. When was it that you really had to advocate for something that you needed, and you had to face a struggle? And, how did you overcome that?
Becca Weber:
I think in high school I really had to, I mean, teachers were great in getting accommodations, and making sure that I had everything I needed. But sometimes, they weren’t the best at emailing me materials, before class. So I really had to be on them. Like, I would send them an email every day, and I would say, “I need this. You need to make sure that you give me the materials, because I have a right to them, just like anyone else.”
Becca Weber:
And college has definitely got a lot better, because of the DSO, the disability services. But, I would still have to make sure that I would ask teachers to send me materials. And sometimes in classes, materials would be not in the right format and I would just tell them, “This format isn’t accessible to me. I need to make sure that I am able to access it.” And, they’re pretty good at it. They’re great at making sure that you have everything that you need.
Simon Bonenfant:
And who would you say is a role model in your life, who really has inspired you to have high expectations for yourself, and have high expectations about your blindness? Who would you say would be your most mentor, or your role model, that has helped you along in your life?
Becca Weber:
I don’t know if there’s like one specific person, but I’m a part of a lot of Facebook groups, in the blindness field, and I enjoy reaching out to them to ask them questions. I reach out to my TVI a lot, who I had in high school, and she taught me technology. And I ask her questions a lot about what to do in my career and if, what she thinks about this pathway, or that pathway. So she’s a great role model to me.
Simon Bonenfant:
That’s great. What has been your experience in your family, and in terms of relatives and your family? How have they treated you as a blind person, and what has been their belief on blindness?
Becca Weber:
I would say that my family, they’re good. Sometimes they can be a little bit, not as, I guess, understanding? Because they don’t really get it. They are great, but you know how family can be. Sometimes you just don’t want to agree with them. I would say, my extended family, some of them are great and some of them are, they kind of have, I guess old attitudes about blindness. Sometimes they almost sugarcoat my blindness, and they’re just like, “Oh, you can’t see very well.” Or, “Oh, you are visually impaired.” They don’t just say that I’m blind.
Becca Weber:
I don’t think that, my eyes not working, is not the problem. It’s people’s perception of blindness that is the problem.
Simon Bonenfant:
Yeah, so you’ve had to teach them.
Becca Weber:
Yeah. Yeah.
Simon Bonenfant:
Your life. So, what advice would you give to students transitioning from high school to college, to the workplace? And, what advice would you give them?
Becca Weber:
I would say that, you are your best advocate, and you know what works for you and what doesn’t. And self-advocacy is really important, especially as you get into college and the workforce. I’m very fortunate that I have a great disability services office at my college, but I know people who don’t. So, you just need to be on them and you need to say like, “I have the right to this education, or this job, just as anyone else. I might not be able to see well, I might not be able to,” not do certain things, but, I may just do them differently.
Becca Weber:
And just explain, “I use a screen reader to access information, and I use Braille note taker, to take notes. And this is how I do things,” because, if you show them what you can do, they’re more likely to hire you, or they’re more likely to give you that chance. You just need to have a good attitude and a good perception of your disability, depending on what it is.
Simon Bonenfant:
And what kind of technology tools do you use, that you would say are very helpful to you? And how do you utilize them, in the classroom and outside of the classroom?
Becca Weber:
I use all Apple products, and I also use, I have a Mac with Boot Camp through Windows. I use an iPhone, iPad, Mac. I use a Braille note taker for doing complete assignments, and to take notes. I love IT. That’s one of my strong passions, that I have. I think, the more tools you have, the better you will be. I, personally, am a fan of the Mac. Just because I think it’s simpler to use, but I know Windows because I have to, because I know that one program or one platform might be better than the others. So it’s important to know different screen readers, different operating systems, things like that.
Simon Bonenfant:
Yeah, it’s the versatility, of those programs.
Becca Weber:
Mm-hmm (affirmative), yeah.
Simon Bonenfant:
We all are being affected by this COVID-19, coronavirus pandemic, and a lot of schools are going into online. Has Kutztown gone into an online format, and how has that been for you? Has the online software has been accessible to you?
Becca Weber:
Yeah, everything is online now. Everything is accessible. The things that aren’t accessible, I would reach out to my professors and I would say, “This isn’t accessible.” Or, “I need this, in a different format.” And they’re very good about making sure it’s accessible, and if they don’t know, they’ll ask. So, it’s great. I just, I always forget what day it is, and what’s due, so that’s a problem. But, other than that, it’s great.
Simon Bonenfant:
So is this a new format for you, of doing online classes? Or is it something that you’ve dealt with in the past?
Becca Weber:
I’ve done a couple of online classes, in the past. I’m in one right now, and it’s not bad. I like it. I just, I miss being face to face with people. I feel like I learn more, when I interact with other people, face to face.
Simon Bonenfant:
Yeah. You also wanted to mention about the Homework Help Hotline.
Becca Weber:
Yeah. So couple of weeks ago, I started to volunteer with this new initiative through, several TVIs and blind students and mentors, we came together and decided, well, I didn’t decide. I just helped volunteer with it. It’s called the National Homework Hotline for Blind and Visually Impaired Students. And the goal of the hotline is to assist students from K-12 all the way up through college, with different subjects, so like math and science. And other subjects, and content matter.
Becca Weber:
And then, the tech issues. So Jaws, VoiceOver, Mac, iOS, just different, accessing different platforms and different software and technology. So, it’s every day, Monday through Friday, from 11:00 to 8:00. And if you need any assistance you can email, nationalhomeworkhotline.bvi@gmail.com.
Becca Weber:
But if you just Google search, National Homework Hotline for Blind and Visually Impaired Students, you can access all the information there.
Simon Bonenfant:
Oh, that’s great.
Becca Weber:
Yeah.
Simon Bonenfant:
If the listeners wanted to contact you, or see what you’re doing, do you have a social media that you’d like to share?
Becca Weber:
Yeah, I have a Twitter page. My Twitter handle is @bweber630. I love Twitter. I like to see different information that I can access, and things like that.
Simon Bonenfant:
Oh, very good. Well, thank you Becca, for coming onto Blind Abilities and talking about yourself, and a little bit about your life and your journey. Great to see how far you’ve progressed, in the many years as I’ve known you, and I know you’re going to go on to do great things. And I know you’ve helped me along the way, so thank you for all you’ve done for me, and I know we’re going to be having you back after your graduation, seeing what good things you’re going to do. So, thanks for talking with us, Becca.
Becca Weber:
Awesome. Thank you. Yeah, thanks for having me on.
Simon Bonenfant:
Oh, yeah. And, stay safe.
Becca Weber:
Thanks, you too.
Jeff Thompson:
Be sure to contact your state services for the blind, your voc rehab, and find out what they can do for you. Live, work, read, succeed. For more podcasts with a blindness perspective, check us out on the web at www.blindabilities.com, on Twitter @BlindAbilities, and download the free Blind Abilities app from the app store, and on Google Play. That’s two words, Blind Abilities. You can also enable the Blind Abilities skill, on your Amazon device. Just say, “Enable Blind Abilities.”
Jeff Thompson:
A big shout out to Chee Chau for his beautiful music. You can follow Chee Chau on Twitter @L Chee Chau. And most importantly, I want to thank you, the listener. Thank you for listening. Hope you enjoyed, and until next time, bye bye.
[Music] [Transition noise] -When we share
-What we see
-Through each other’s eyes…
[Multiple voices overlapping, in unison, to form a single sentence]
…We can then begin to bridge the gap between the limited expectations, and the realities of Blind Abilities.
Jeff Thompson:
For more podcasts with the blindness perspective:
Check us out on the web at www.BlindAbilities.com On Twitter @BlindAbilities
Download our app from the App store:
‘Blind Abilities’; that’s two words.
Or send us an e-mail at:
info@blindabilities.com Thanks for listening.
send us an email at info@blindabilities.com.
Thanks for listening.