Getting Answers : Six Semesters Later, Still Waiting for a Talking Computer

HAZEL BENNETT, Los Angeles

I started attending classes at Los Angeles City College in 1978 and graduated in 1982 with a fairly high grade point average, 3.4 to be exact. I am legally blind and that was no easy task. There were pretty good human readers at that time and bungalow 112, where handicapped resources were available, was a busy place.

Later, computers were getting popular and I knew that I not only wanted to learn how to use one, but could see where it was going to be necessary for the blind to learn them. I took a pre-vocational class at the Braille Institute using a computer with a speech synthesizer that read to me, everything on the screen as well as the instructions. This type of a device can be attached to any compatible computer. It opened up a world of independence.

I enrolled again at Los Angeles City College, where I was required to take any three-unit class in order to use the talking equipment. When I went to use it, I found that it was not working very well and later died altogether.

I and other students who were using this computer talked to Chadwick Woo, Dean of Special Programs, who is in charge of disabled programs. We were told it would be repaired and then we waited. In fact, six semesters have gone past and we are still waiting.

I have spoken to Mr. Woo several times and received the same answers: It is being repaired, It hasn’t come back yet. We ordered the wrong thing, or we have no money.

As I write this [in mid-October], there still is nothing on the entire campus of Los Angeles City College that would enable a blind person to do his or her work. The reading machine is not reading, the computers are not talking and the scanner is not scanning. The closed-circuit TV and the Braille writers are barely working.

About two semesters ago, the club for the disabled had a meeting to which Jose Robledo, the president of our college, was invited. The students asked him many questions about why certain things were not available for the disabled. I asked why, on the entire campus, there was no machine that was working for the blind, especially the computer. He professed shock, but still nothing changed.

My break came when I heard of Cathy Wixon, who is the compliance officer at LACC for the Americans with Disabilities Act, which says that disabled people shall have equal access. Wixon assisted me in October in filing a complaint form against the disabled services office at LACC. I felt that the school was in violation of the ADA.

I don’t know where or how funds for the disabled are being spent, or where the funds come from, but I do know something is wrong and it needs to be corrected.

Official Replies: ‘We’re Doing the Best We Can’

CHADWICK WOO, Dean of Special Programs

She’s talking about a speech synthesizer about 10 years old that ran about $5,000. We got two of them. They went on the blink off and on. I didn’t have money for maintenance. One of them they cannot fix at all. So we have only the one that’s functioning and it’s limping along. It ran about $700 to get it repaired--one of my relatives donated the money. It’s not the greatest but that’s all we have.

On my payroll, 95% is for staff--readers for the blind, interpreters for the deaf, or note-takers--and 5% for supplies and equipment. One of my biggest headaches is supplies and equipment because that is a low priority with the state. To repair they will give us only a certain amount and the college has to match or give us the money. It’s sort of a vicious circle. We try to help all of our students. We’re doing the best we can.

JOSE ROBLEDO, President, Los Angeles City College

When this came to my attention we took immediate steps to investigate the matter, to determine if something is broken down and if it is to have it repaired. I recall a meeting with the student association, a number of questions. I recall a request for additional equipment, and advising the students the college was not in a position to go out and buy additional equipment. I think someone talked about some equipment breaking down but I don’t remember what specific equipment.

I’m happy to say once we realized what the problem was we got on it. I’m sorry to say we didn’t know about it sooner or get get on it sooner or maybe we just weren’t reading the messages right.

CATHY WIXON, LACC compliance officer, a new position

All the equipment is working right now. The law requires that we make reasonable accommodation under a section that deals with public accommodation. I started August 28 as a compliance officer for all state and federal laws regarding civil rights. That may have given it a little push, the fact there was a designated person to address this issue. This is all I do.