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From: Beth B
Date: 30 Sep 2012
Time: 17:58:13 -0500
Remote Name: 71.246.249.138
Hi Courtney. Thanks for your comments. Accommodations for stuttering can be tough because it's not like being deaf or blind, where technology can make a big difference in being productive in the workplace. We also have to be careful to not limit ourselves in a way that can impact our ability to succeed and get promoted. For example, asking to not do a presentation to a client can mean that either you will look like you're not pulling your weight (or you're not capable of it) or another person will take that task and move ahead of you. But there are other things you can ask for, like in an earlier job I asked that I not have to use the office intercom to let coworkers know that they had a phone call. That didn't impact my "status" because it was a more menial task than giving a presentation. One accommodation I also asked for was a cubicle in a quiet corner of the office, so I could make calls more easily. I think that, in both school and the workplace, disclosing can be half the battle. Once your employer or teacher knows that you stutter (and you need to explain a bit about it), it will help them understand why you are occasionally disfluent and that it has nothing to do with your capabilities or intellect. Being able to talk freely about it can help you feel more comfortable with your speech and with having disfluencies in front of your colleagues. And if you mention your stuttering at the beginning of a presentation - maybe make a little joke out of it - you will feel more comfortable giving the presentation - and stuttering. Does anyone else have any accommodations that have worked for them?