Hi
I wonder if assessments of need are covered by the DDA. Assessors are
providing a service after all. The implication of the situation descibed by
Stephen is that a student with a mobility difficulty, who does not drive, and
who studies at the other end of the country will need to make an arduous trip
north for an assessment - perhaps involving an overnight stay in a guest house
or hotel (not all students have a 'home' address in their local LEA area).
The whole concept is bizarre - and should certainly be challenged. I wonder
what the DfEE would have to say about this.
On a related issue, the whole question about who calls the shots in these
cases needs looking at. I have just struggled to have an RSA Diplomatist's
dyslexia assessment accepted by one midlands LEA. I have processed many DSA
applications during the past 12 months or so without difficulty of this sort.
It seems crazy that I should need to contact LEA's beforehand to check whether
a Diplomatist's report will suffice. The DfEE guidelines seem to be quite
clear on this issue: Ed Psychs or Diplomatist's assessments are both
acceptable. I wonder whether this has anything to do with the ties that some
student awards sections have with their own LEA Psychology Service.
Protectionism?
Regards
Peter Hill
Stephen Lancaster wrote:
> On the topic - a True Story
>
> We have come across a Northern LEA that only accepts recommendations
> for students at its local University from an assessor at its local
> University.
>
> We worked with a SpLD student at one of our local Colleges for two
> years. The student had a WAIS-III above average I.Q. but a very
> complicated dysfunctional profile and needed specific support accordingly.
>
> The university and LEA in question assessed 'our' student during
> their first week at the Uni. and wrote a report providing much less
> than the student needed.
>
> We wrote to the LEA on behalf of the student with reports and
> recommendations based up our expert knowledge of the particular
> student - to be told by the LEA that they only accepted Needs
> assessments from a specialist tutor at the local University. The
> student struggled for a year then dropped out.
>
> We think this was down to the opinion of dyslexia held by the LEA and
> shared by the University.
>
> The questions arises, is it always wrong to advise students with
> particular disabilities to choose another University? I am NOT
> suggesting that this is an answer to short-fall in facilities at any
> particular HEI.
>
> Stephen Lancaster
> Lancaster-Miller Group
--
Peter Hill
Disability Coordinator
University College Worcester
Henwick Grove
Worcester
WR2 6AJ
Tel 01905 855413
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