Naoki Yamaguchi
Fourth-year university (University Senior)

Introduction

My name is Naoki Yamaguchi, and I’m currently a fourth-year university student. I became visually impaired when I was in my second year of junior high school. In my case, it’s not that I can’t see at all due to amblyopia, but my vision cannot be corrected even with glasses. There is a blurry spot in the center of my field of vision, and when I try to see what I want to see, the blurry spot just overlaps, and I wind up not being able to see anything clearly. Especially, I can’t see fine details such as facial expressions and written letters., but I can see the surroundings where there is no blurry spot, to some extent, so I don’t use a white cane, and people don’t realize I am visually impaired.

I am going to write about the current situation and issues of support for students with disabilities at universities that I feel as a university student. I hope this helps those who have disabilities that are not easily noticed by others and those who are worried about communication issues.

Current Status and Issues of Disability Support at Universities

As an example of my university, I would like to explain the support that I have received.

I was given a walking tour of all the school buildings when I entered the university. In the classroom, I was given assigned seating (when it was difficult to move seats during class or when it was necessary to sit in the front of the class), pre-distribution of class materials (to receive projected materials in advance via e-mail and see it enlarged on my device at hand during class), extended time for tests and submissions, extended submission periods (with consideration for the speed of reading), and permission to use visual aids.

Also, when I studied abroad in America during my first year of university, my university cooperated with the American university and supported me so that I would not have any difficulties due to my disability.

Next, I would like to talk about how I feel regarding the issues of supporting students with disabilities at universities.

First, I feel that job-hunting support for students with disabilities is not adequate at my university. There is not even sufficient general information for individuals with disabilities to find employment in the first place, so information and support for these students is a real necessity. Personally, I used external agents for my job hunt in addition to school information.

Also, my university is not supportive of things that cannot be supported. For example, a friend of mine with a disability applied for support for online classes during the Corona outbreak, but it was denied, and as a result, he returned home and had to be helped by his family.

I think that the Disability Support Department at the university needs not only formal support but also a system as well as personnel that are easy to consult with. There used to be a person in the disability support department at my university who was very friendly and often cared about students with disabilities. I think it was easy for me to ask for consideration by talking casually with the person.

Formal support is important, but if the relationship with the department for students with disabilities is limited to discussing the details of operational support, it is difficult to work together to come up with alternative plans for support that is not being provided. This is because it cannot be done without mutual understanding, so I think that it is necessary to communicate on a regular basis.

What is support

In fact, I think that communication with each professor in charge of the class is very important to receive more appropriate support. Specifically, always take time to get to know them in the first class, thank them for their time at every opportunity and have a conversation directly with the professor. Reasonable accommodation must be guaranteed by the right of students with disabilities to obtain substantial equality, but it is up to individuals who actually provide the accommodation. I think it's important to deepen mutual understanding, and without hesitation, to properly disclose one’s disability, and to tell them what kind of consideration is necessary.

In conclusion

I am currently on a leave of absence (spring semester 2022). It is so I can practice music in earnest, which is something I want to do before going out into society. At last year's university festival, we were a copy band, but we were able to stand on the biggest stage. I still get a lot of help from those associates and friends.

The reality I faced after my eyesight deteriorated in my second year of junior high school was harsh, but I learned that other people may be kinder than I thought. I’m sure that if individuals with disabilities are brave enough to explain things correctly, there will be people who will help us, and that’s the same in organizations like universities and in friendships.