Disability awareness

Thinking about ability/disability. The next entry covers this area in relation to weeks 6 and 7

Week 6 - discussing disability

Issue - Videoconference and or other audio materials (tapes, CDs and TV if no subtitles)
Challenge for students - Use of multimedia resources with audio that is important for understanding the resource and is the only resource supplied – this is likely to affect learners with auditory impairments

Issue - Viedoconference
Challenge for students - For deaf student synchrouns viedo communication is problematic.

Issue - Synchronous discussions
Challenge for students - Discussing online (forum and chat): For students with sight difficulties or RSA and other mobility difficulties this could be difficult.

Issue - Website related

Challenge for students -
Using websites that are not designed so that they can be easily read with screen readers – this is likely to affect learners with visual impairments;
Need a simple system for signing in and out of the VLE/Website for screen readers - once signed it, be taken directly to the course home page
Using web pages that are divided into segments or frames, thus confusing software programmes that translate text to voice – this is likely to affect learners with visual impairments;
Prolonged VLE work sight difficulties and manual dexterity challenge for keyboard and large amounts of navigational issues (mouse work)
Colour and font issues for students with dyslexia this may cause problems
Viewing flashing or moving content (YouTube clips, TV, CDs etc) – this is likely to affect learners with an impairment that makes them sensitive to flashing or moving content;

Issue - Assignments
Assignments able to be submitted in a number of ways to accommodate students needs




Week 7 - Computers and assistive technology

Questions
What sources of advice or financial help are available to disabled students in your country?
If there is financial help, what can it be used for?
If you work in a teaching establishment, what help is available for disabled students?

Response
UK legislation states that UK students are entitled to Disability Students Allowances (DSA) (or at least they are eligible to apply for this).

Undergraduates
• General Allowance: up to £1,640 for full-time and £1,230 for part-time study per year.
• Equipment Allowance: for major items of equipment – up to a maximum of £4,905 spread over the whole duration of the course.
• Non-medical Helpers' Allowance: for help with full-time study-related personal support; up to a maximum of £12,420 and for part-time study up to maximum of £9,315.
• Travel Costs: Assistance may also be available with extra travel costs incurred, but not general everyday travel costs.

Postgraduates
• One allowance of up to £5,915 a year.
• PGCE Students on PGCE courses will be eligible for allowances at the undergraduate level.

All disabled students in post-compulsory education receive the same funding, this doesn’t matter if they are full or part time, undergraduate and postgraduate students they are eligible to apply for the DSA but the amounts differ (see above). Funding does not depend on the programme content but part time students need to have completed the course within the full time equivalent (so a PT postgraduate will need to complete within 2 years if the FT is one year). The DSA is a non-means tested benefit but students need to have an assessment (that needs to be paid for by themselves initially and can be reclaimed from the DSA when received.