Exploring my own way

By : Lam Sio-fan, Department of Linguistics and Translation

I graduated from a special school and continued my education in a mainstream English-medium secondary school. Through unremitting effort and with the help of my teachers and classmates, I completed an associate degree programme in 2018. I was then accepted onto an undergraduate programme in translation at CityU.

At the beginning of my first semester at CityU, I was quite anxious. I worried that I might not fully understand the teaching materials since I couldn’t see teachers’ PowerPoint slides in class. As the lectures typically have 100 students or more, seeking help from the lecturers too often would be awkward. However, staff at Student Development Services (SDS) and Academic Regulations and Records Office (ARRO) were very thoughtful. They had notified the relevant departments about taking care of my needs before the academic year started. To help me learn in class and take examinations, my teachers submitted their PowerPoint slides and test papers in advance to ARRO so as to have The Hong Kong Society for the Blind convert them into braille.

Sio-fan (centre) with SDS staff Ms Holly Ho (left) and her classmate.

Some aspects of life that might seem very simple to people without sight problems can really challenge me. On my first day at CityU, I arrived at campus an hour early but I found my classroom only after going here and there and asking a lot of people for directions. Fortunately, I later met many enthusiastic fellow students who accompanied me to classrooms and restaurants. SDS told them that they could get paid as student helpers but they kindly declined remuneration.

Sio-fan‘s classmates invented an innovative method using glue to draw the symbols on paper. After studying translation for a year, I changed my major to linguistics. The new programme required me to learn how to compile codes and find bugs. To a person with visual impairment, locating bugs in a long list of coding was a major test of my patience. Also, computer systems can’t necessarily read the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) or understand images of the mouth that explain the pronunciation process.

My teachers tried various ways to help me. An old braille typewriter that could be used for typing IPA symbols was found. But it could take several hours to type up just one page of notes. Fortunately, my classmates invented an innovative method using glue to draw the symbols on paper. Raised braille-like symbols were produced as the glue dried. My classmates explained these symbols to me as I touched them.

I am prepared for the challenges presented to a person with visual impairment studying linguistics. If I had followed the same path as others with visual impairment who studied translation, I could easily find a job after graduating. But I believe everyone should pursue their interests, and I wanted to go my own way.

I want to continue to pursue my dream and study for a master’s degree. I wish to have an enriched life, broadening my horizons and interests.

Also, I hope that everyone understands that people with visual impairment have the right and capability to chase their dreams as well.