To access the first half of this interview from last Monday, October 8th, please click here.
After beginning his courses, Mr. McKeithan took some time off, but started back up again in March 2006. “I made it clear to my academic advisor, Dacia that I wanted an accommodation strategy that mapped to the program’s requirements!!” He began all the necessary paperwork in mid-February; but it was not until mid-April, after classes began, that anything was approved. The result was that “I essentially had to complete the March 2006 term’s tasks in May which caused me to get behind with the May 2006 term’s work, but with God’s strength and by working collaboratively with Keller, I survived the storm!!” Mr. McKeithan had taken time away from work in order to ensure that he would be able to receive proper accommodations: “It was a really stressful time for me...I needed a reader for my courses [in order to] manage and get through this.”
He immediately contacted his reader from high school and undergraduate school, Shaun Hardy, and received approval from Keller to be reimbursed for the expenses, but he admits, “I had to be aggressive about it. I had to provide a rationale as to why I needed a reader!! During the conversation, I sat in my office, prayed, and then provided an effective explanation in that the material is complex, there’s a lot and I have to use project management software that is inaccessible for my projects, there’s a lot of graphs that I need interpreted, and I deserve the accommodation!” And now? “Keller knows the direction that needs to be happening with me and we are charting this course together. I’ll be the first to admit that there are some intense discussions that have occurred, but my advisor, Dacia and I always end the conversation with a thought or two to lighten the mood. Dacia has really been an advocate for me and an outstanding advisor, we connected during our first conversation in February 2006, we both have an interest in music and spiritual and academic growth, she’s genuinely supportive and cares about my success.” Mr. McKeithan knows that these sorts of delays and problems are not isolated to online schools. “It happens in a traditional setting as well, the difference is that you have more time to take corrective action before the 16 weeks are over.”
His e-books are accessible, and there are a variety of screen readers available on the market, such as JAWS (Mr. McKeithan uses Window-Eyes from GW Micro), but some websites, complex graphics and tables have not been designed to be compatible with such programs and are not 508 compliant. “There were a number of simulations I had to do for Economics, and I had to have my reader describe the graphics to me.” Though understanding these simulations was required for the course, they “were not 508 compliant.” His Accounting course also includes some intricate tables as well. His reader reads with him for two to 3 hours two nights a week, but after that, the mind requires rest! “Shaun and I both become immersed in the material. We often stop to discuss a point in terms of its practicality. We keep it real!! I value and appreciate Shaun’s dedication to my academic and professional growth. He’s just not a reader, but a mentor and friend!!”
His overall impression of DeVry and his Master’s program? “It has been really engaging. I like it because of the flexibility. I enjoy the online experience; I think Keller’s trying. Once they realize that something’s an issue, they’re willing to make adjustments. We’re finally turning a corner.” Mr. McKeithan goes the extra mile: “I make it a point to speak with each of my professors sometime during the semester. It’s not just on the schools; I have an obligation, too.”
Mr. McKeithan, despite his level of experience, expertise, and rigorous educational background, admits that some individuals question his abilities. “There are still people who holds a negative, stereotypical perception of blind people and their ‘limits’ . . . and that they can not be in certain fields. I have gotten used to [having to prove myself to others], but it’s frustrating.” He finds strength from “a lot of prayer,” and acknowledged the hard work, sacrifice and support of his father and mother, who fostered an environment conducive to the development of character, morals and values. “I was challenged to aim high and be ambitious and to be persistent and never give up! I would be an idiot and a fool not to strive for academic excellence. It’s getting harder out there. You have to compete. I think, when I’m feeling discouraged, of Philippians 4:13: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.’”
He lent some great words of encouragement: “Believing is achieving, and achieving is believing. For if I believe, I can, and I will, achieve.”