EDUCATION REPORT - For Blind Students, College Means Learnin

EDUCATION REPORT - For Blind Students, College Means Learning to Help Themselves
By Nancy Steinbach

Broadcast: Thursday, April 28, 2005

I'm Gwen Outen with the VOA Special English Education Report.

We continue our reports for students around the world who want to attend college in the United States. This week, we answer a question from Pakistan. Sajid Iqbal wants to know if any American colleges or universities accept blind students or those with vision problems. He also wants to know if any financial aid is provided.

The World Health Organization says almost forty million people around the world are blind. There are about one million blind people in the United States. The largest and most influential¹ organization of blind people in this country is the National Federation² of the Blind. N.F.B. officials say the nation does not have any colleges or universities that serve only blind students. They say the reason for this is that blind people must learn to live among people who can see.

American colleges and universities do accept blind and visually impaired³ students. And they provide services to help these students succeed. For example, colleges find people who write down what the professors say in class. And they provide technology that can help blind students with their work. However, experts say colleges can best help blind students by making it clear that the students should learn to help themselves.

 
Tim Cordes working in a University of Wisconsin-Madison laboratory.
One blind American student recently made news because he graduated from medical school at the University of Wisconsin. Tim Cordes (pronounced COR-diss) says technology was one of the reasons he succeeded. He used a computer that read into his earpiece what he was typing. He also used a small printer that permitted him to write notes about his patients in the hospital. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Notre Dame⁴ in South Bend, Indiana.

National Federation of the Blind officials say blind students from other nations do come to the United States to attend college. Some can even get financial aid. The N.F.B. awards about thirty scholarships each year that have no citizenship⁵ requirement. The applications for scholarships are closed for next year.

However, information about such aid and other services can be found at its web site, nfb.org. N.F.B. officials say blind students interested in attending college in the United States should communicate with the schools they want to attend. College officials will provide them with the information they need.

This VOA Special English Education Report was written by Nancy Steinbach. I'm Gwen Outen.

1 influential   

adj.有影响的，有权势的

参考例句：

• He always tries to get in with the most influential people.他总是试图巴结最有影响的人物。
• He is a very influential man in the government.他在政府中是个很有影响的人物。

2 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

3 impaired   

adj.受损的；出毛病的；有（身体或智力）缺陷的v.损害，削弱( impair的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Much reading has impaired his vision. 大量读书损害了他的视力。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• His hearing is somewhat impaired. 他的听觉已受到一定程度的损害。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 dame   

n.女士

参考例句：

• The dame tell of her experience as a wife and mother.这位年长妇女讲了她作妻子和母亲的经验。
• If you stick around,you'll have to marry that dame.如果再逗留多一会，你就要跟那个夫人结婚。

5 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。