« Successfully Using a Reader While at Work | Main | Putting Job Interviewers at Ease »
March 28, 2006
Where Can I Find a Good Reader?
Thanks to all of you who offered your suggestions last week about how to successfully use a reader while at work. Here are my favorite tips you’ve offered so far during your discussion:
Ardis, for instance, writes:
“...Whenever, I hired a reader, I had them read for me so I could find out how well they read and understood what they read.
”Graphs and tables were the most complicated for them. I tried to know what I needed most from what they read so I knew what questions to ask when I did not hear what I needed to know.
”At first, with all readers, I would have them read everything on each page. As I learned how good or bad a reader was, I knew what I could reliably have them skip and what times they needed to read everything. I learned not to assume they had read all the relevant stuff and to ask if they had skipped anything.
”Now, in my present business, it is even more important to know even the information a reader might find unimportant. I have learned not to throw away stuff read unless I'm really sure I have gotten all the relevant information from each piece of mail or form…”
C. Fred Stout points out:
“...A reader can be an employee, a volunteer, a family member etc. However, the user must maintain control and make good use of that necessary tool...”
LuRetta tells how she screens reader applicants:
“My use of readers ranges from college studies in mathematics through support of my employment in programming and analysis. In most cases, the material to which I needed access was technical in nature -- with attention to minute details and communication of visual diagrams being vital. I found that by far the most important key to reader success was reader selection.
“Therefore, I designed very challenging skill tests as part of my hiring interviews. I asked candidates to convey verbally: punctuation, structure and placement of elements on the page, usage of color and font, information implied by juxtaposition, subordination and numbering of items. In other words, I did everything possible to screen applicants for the essential balance of skills, incorporating the most useful degrees of focus on the detail, big picture, and meaning of information.
“Once I found someone with the right skill set, training them to match my specific daily needs was easy.”
Suzanne gets even more specific:
“...Can you estimate how much time you'd need to use a reader each week? Compare that with the hours you work without the use of a reader and see what it comes out to be. If it's a minor part of your job, it's reasonable to request a reader.
“Next, you need to determine how skilled the reader must be… I use one person for an hour one day and another person for an hour another day. (Because) one person is more confident in her abilities (and) the other is less confident, I try to save the more complex reading for the confident person and the easier material for the less confident. Both readers are intelligent. However, one is more comfortable with complex data, while the other is not. Knowing this, I plan accordingly and choose material that they are comfortable conveying to me…
“...Asking questions (about the material) becomes a skill I must develop in order to gain the information I need...
Jo seeks to establish a mutually beneficial experience:
“...I have used readers when I needed to and found great satisfaction in having someone who would read and explain as necessary. I first put out the word that a reader was needed and then I was careful to explain what kinds of material needed to be read.
“I interviewed several people and then chose from among those the one or two I thought would benefit me most in terms of efficiency and clarity. I looked at having a reader as being a wonderful experience for myself as well as for the reader.
”...You have opportunity to help someone else to stick to the schedule you set and then that person gains confidence because you have put the whole thing in a positive and success-oriented light for all concerned...”
All of your tips about how to select and manage a reader raises another question in my mind, and I’d like to pose it as this week’s discussion topic on the eSight Networking Forum:
How does a person with a visual impairment who is working in the mainstream job market find effective readers?
Organizations serving those of us with visual impairments, I know, help find readers for doing mail etc., and schools and colleges recruit textbook readers, but it seems to me that on-the-job people in the mainstream workplace are largely on their own.
Please correct me if I’m wrong about the on-the-job gap by giving us some sources you’ve used.
For instance, I might recruit readers from high school or college campuses, particularly among students who are interested in a job sector where I’m currently working. Or, on the other end of the spectrum, how about retired people in my particular field?
Or, is there a national clearinghouse which can help me find a reader within my local area?
Please submit your reader recruitment suggestions.
Add your comments to this posting
Posted by Jim at March 28, 2006 03:15 PM
Comments
There are two more examples of readers I've had, which I forgot to mention last week. First of all, I frequently read one of the lessons from the Bible in church. One of my parents, usually my mom because my dad is so busy with his job these days, records the reading that is sent out via rota every so often. My mom is very good about alerting me to any punctuation or abnormalities in the reading. My dad is also very good at this, but like I said he's been very busy lately. These Biblical readings often contain oddly-structured sentences, and the punctuation therefore is off. Also, my parents have been very good about spelling out unfamiliar names or words. The other situation which I would like to talk about is Center for Independent Futures. Each resident of CIF has life-skills tutors who come into the apartments and work with the residents on something of the residents' choosing. This is just one thing which I like about CIF, we the residents set the tone and pace of our tutoring sessions. In my case, the tutor often needs to read stuff to me, or dictate stuff to me. All tutors with whom I have worked were very good about alerting me to punctuation, grammar changes, and other things which I as a totally blind person cannot pick up on. My roommate is legally blind, and he sometimes needs stuff read to him as well.
Jake
Posted by: Jake Joehl at March 29, 2006 10:25 AM
I use a reader to assist me in going through mail since scanning technologies is not perfect in reading printed material. There are so many charts, maps, graphs, etc. that a scanner cannot read very well because of the wide variety of colors, formats, and font changes on the page these days.
In looking for readers, I usually ask another blind person if they have contacts of someone who can serve as a reader. It usually works that way. Word of mouth is a more effective way of advertising these days.
Another way to look for readers is to post on a bulletin board near cafeteria areas on school campuses, put a notice in the school newspaper, contact your church to have them put a notice in the bulletin, etc.
Also, contacting such organizations as the Lions Club, Kiwanis Club, Rotary Club, and any other organization you are connected to to find readers. Also contact American Association for Retired Persons or the Council on Aging for reader assistance.
Those are my thoughts for locating readers.
Lisa Hall
lhall10@satx.rr.com
Web page: http://home.satx.rr.com/lisahall
Posted by: Lisa Hall at March 29, 2006 05:11 PM
I have always tried to use coworkers as readers because they're paid to do the same job I am so don't cost the agency any more money, they are most familiar with the material that needs reading, so they often know what's important, and they often have to read the material themselves anyway. I had an experience where my manager asked a co-op student to read something on tape, and wound up having to have it read all over again. I always tried to tell my manager who were the best readers, so I could arrange to keep working with them. This usually worked out except for those times when we didn't have time to read and I would fall behind. Fortunately, everything I get now is accessible. readers
Posted by: Diane Scalzi at March 29, 2006 08:00 PM
Today's technological advantages, offers some alternative method, of accessing print that, a personal reader is very close, to being a thing, of the past.
The array, of low vision aids, screen reading software, screen enlargement, closed circuit devices, and scanners, eliminate most, of the need, for a live reader.
Hand written material is handled, by utilizing a reader and tape recorder, or even better yet, having such material typewritten.
Searching library stacks, etc. still requires good live assistance.
Quality readers come, from service organizations, college students, Church groups, and in many cases these people will volueenteer.
Retired persons mean well, but experience suggests that this sector is most unreliable, for a myriad, of reasons.
Experience also causes me, to suggest that, Women are better readers than Men. I have noticed that Men often will not take directions, as they continue, to attempt, to take charge.
C. Fred Stout
San Antonio, Texas
Posted by: C. Fred Stout at March 30, 2006 03:49 PM