Blind Nerdfighter in need of assistance

[Jessica :)]

Hi all!

I've been a nerdfigher for about four years now and counting, I've followed John and Hank through the 2.0 journey, but since the year I began watching and earlier, some tragic things have happened to my eyesight.  I was diagnosed with a rare eye condition that causes my retina to detach and it is very hard to fix, which since then, I have lost the vision in my left eye and have had it removed (the eye, that is) and now wear a fake one.  Recently (December 2009), I lost fifty percent of the eyesight in my right eye, and now I am legally blind.  I have had five surgeries total on both of my eyes, and now I can see relatively alright through my right eye while using a computer.  I am at University at the moment pursuing an undergraduate degree in English, but you can see (pun definitely intended) the problems that I have with reading the books for classes.  I get by with audio books and helpful equipment.

 

I've emailed John numerous times, posted on their twitters and facebooks, however, I know they're busy guys, and really this isn't that important.  Well, it is to me, because since this eye condition I have not been able to read any of John's new books...  I've read Looking for Alaska, An Abundance of Katherines, and Paper Towns.  My best friend read me Let It Snow, and I read Hank's ecogeek everyday.  I was just wondering if anyone knew anything about the books being on audio or downloadable or anything so that I can read them again, and maybe eventually read Will Greyson Will Greyson, since I haven't been able to find it on audio book yet, I have yet to read it...  I am usually a very avid reader, but after losing most of my sight I have lost the love of it...

 

If anyone can help, that'd be great.  I love nerdfighers, I will never forget the first time I went into my local bookstore, opened up Paper Towns, and saw a note with an email of another nerdighter, and I put my own note in, and have continued to talk to this nerdfighter for some time. 

 

DFTBA, fellow defeaters of world suck!

[Ryan Leverett]

try open note software. coupled with a scanner you could read anything, just scan it in. also try NLS books, the library for the blind, and a BraillePlus system. ps. my mom is blind and she uses these things.

[Gwen S]

Hi! If you're looking for Audio books, you can get the MP3 download here: http://www.theaudiobookmart.com/search.php?searchBy=author&quer...

 

Looking for Alaska is around 8$ for MP3 so nothing is TOO expensive

Goodluck! DFTBA

[Kathryn Granger]

*cyberhugs* Wish I could do more to help you, but I too will read to you if needs be. Have you considered taking a course in Braille? It might help. DFTBA! :)

[Juliet]

on amazon, u should probably look up john green audiobooks and it may have some links where u can buy them all

[Maggie Morgans]

I realize a lot of people have said this already but I would be glad to read something to you. Like send you mp3's or anything like that.

[Gillman]

I have both Will Grayson, Will Grayson and Looking for Alaska on audiobook from audible.com

Both of them are read fantastically. 

[Carolina]

I really wish I could read for you! I read to my mother all the time and I have a good voice, if I do say so myself.

[Emma George]

John is making an audio book and I don't know what it is called but it si out for pre-order. There is also another verso of the audio book by an actual audio book person for sell everywhere starting Jaunary 10th. John's version is, in my opinion, the best and only one that should be, is only on sell on dft-ba.com. Good luck to you. 

[Jessica :)]

Hi everyone,

 

Thank you all for your amazing ideas, this is incredible to me, it is hard for me to reach out at all but I knew I could to you incredible Nerdiighters.  I'm now battling to get my hands on a copy of The Fault in our Stars audiobook, or anything of the sort, I feel so left out sometimes but my support comes from my love for decreasing world suck!  I am sorry I haven't posted in a long time, I've been at university studying english and theatre so you can imagine being completely blind and trying to uphold the reading load that I have in an english major, not a lot of time for the forum.

 

I spent my summer with children with low or no vision and met the most incredible people.  These kids have no sight, and they are the most vibrant, loving beings I've ever met.  I've decided to spend the rest of my life making life easier for them.  I don't mind so much about not reading john's books, I know they're incredible, I just miss it, you know?

 

Thanks again to everyone, this is truly touching for me, and if anyone wants to get into more contact with me send me a personal message and we can work for actually getting some of these audio books.

 

Thank you guys so much again, a thousand thank you's, I refuse to let my nerdfighting fire die out.

 

Believe in yourself, and things will all come together.  I know I can do this.  I believe.

 

Thank you

[CD]

I'm not sure what I can personally do and apologies if you've already done this, but, I have some non-online suggestions.

Your university may have a disability support services department that can help you get assistance with having exams structured so that you're not disadvantaged, for example, employing a reader of exam papers or providing large print versions of the exam, or giving you more time to do the exam if that's what you need.

Whether or not they have that, your student union, if doing it's job, may also have an officer elected to represent students with disabilities.  That person may be able to put you in touch with support groups on campus, so that you can share tips with people having similar difficulties.  Depending on how student unionism works in your part of the world, they may also be able to help you navigate the red tape of the university and find more support if this is lacking administratively.

And last but not least, I'm assuming you've already spoken to your lecturers about providing voice recordings of lectures  and / or altering the visual design of slide notes so that it's friendly on your eyes.  I know how difficult slide notes sometimes are to read, and this is even though I have reasonably good vision for someone who wears glasses - so you'd probably be doing the other students a favour by requesting these anyway.  I am sure your lecturers will be supportive of your needs and if they're not understanding (due to having perfect vision perhaps but this I doubt, being bookworms themselves, lol) someone else will be. So it will all work out in the end.

And I would also like to mention that unless I'm getting the name mixed up, Beethoven was deaf.  I'm just saying that because you know, he made great music.  So basically it's really cool you're keeping on plugging on with your studies and I have no doubt that this change in life will have an enriching effect on your writing as time goes on; so it's good to know you're keeping up with your studies and that's something to be proud of. 

My history with psychological difficulties lead me to go into university to study psychology and although it was a major challenge to complete my degree, I did it eventually and damn it, I've got that plaque sitting on my desk, and every time I look at it, I say to myself "I did that".  I look forward to you feeling that awesome when your graduation day arrives, too.

[Emily]

Hi Jessica! I hope you find this even though it's been a while. I am vision impaired and I can tell you about lots of helpful things for reading, both books and anything else!
1. BOOKS:
You can buy a HUGE selection of digital audiobooks at audible.com and on iTunes. you can also borrow digital audiobooks from the library, although it's a little tricky to get the technology working. Go to your library's website and search for "eaudiobooks." ask a librarian or tech savvy friend if you get stuck. (eaudiobook selection in libraries tends to be really limited, but it's worth a look if you want to try it.)
You can buy audiobooks on cd from any bookstore or book selling website. Selection tends to be a little more limited than audible or iTunes, but still good. Ditto for borrowing audiobooks on CD from the library.
AWESOME PROGRAMS:
Learningally.org has TONS of volunteer-recorded audiobooks for vision impaired students. You have to apply for the program - it's easy, you basically just get your doctor to sign something saying you're vision impaired. (note to others reading: they also accept ppl with learning disabilities like dyslexia!) then you pay a fee, something like $100 for the year, which is amazing because they have all sorts of stuff you'd never find on audio anywhere else, like entire textbooks recorded by human voices (as opposed to robotic conputer voices), AND if you need something and they don't have it, they'll record it for you!
Next is...
http://www.loc.gov/nls/
This is the national library service for the blind and physically handicapped. Works a lot like Learningally - send in application with doctor's note, etc. but it's free. (they won't make recordings for you, though.) the two are both great, but tend to have different selections of books, so I pick and choose from both.
2. SCREENREADERS:
Dragon Naturally Speaking is voice transcription software, but it also has a good screen reader.
iPads have screen reading software, but it's a little hard to use.
Kindles have software that will read to you. I know the robot voice sucks at first, but you really can get used to it with time! If a book isn't available in any other audio format, that robot voice suddenly is wonderful. (tip: you can find some kindle books on your library website!)

I really hope this helps!!! Feel free to message me with any questions. Good luck!

[Ilana Rosencrantz]

Audible.com! You can download most of John Green's books there! That's where I got my audio copy of WIll Grayson Will Grayson