Steve and others,
Here in the Access Unit, the majority of our courses
are less than 60 credits and we feel that these students are at a
considerable disadvantage. I did raise this issue with SKILL at the
UACE Conference in March of this year and was told that they had no
plans to lobby for a change in regulations affecting such students. So,
like Community Education and other similar providers, HEIs are expected
to comply with the legislation with no additional funds. This situation
can create tension between the providers and those who encourage
disabled people to participate in learning and Management who are
unwilling to provide the funds from existing budgets.
Steve, as a member of the UACE Educational Equality Network I would
like to ask them to add their support to the OU - could you possibly
out me in touch with someone at your end who was involved in the
DfES meeting?
With thanks,
Claire
On Tue, 8 Oct 2002 16:57:25 +0100 Steve Clayton
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Mary,
>
> A major issue for the Open University, as there are several thousand
> students who are studying under 60 points who still expect support under
> SENDA.
>
> The Open University recently met with DfES officials and they agreed to
> discuss with ministers the possibility of DSA support for those on 30 point
> courses (again), and we await further news. The OU continues to lobby for a
> lowering of the points threashold, and we would welcome other bodies (SKILL,
> NADO etc, etc) in helping continuing to keep this issue on the boil.
>
> The simple answer to your question is that for now the institution should
> pick up the cost if it took on the student with a variety of promises in the
> first place, though it should be acknowledged that institutions would be
> hard pressed to mirror DSA levels of support. Of course, institutional
> resources and costs of individual demants would be considered if any student
> decided to challenge through the courts the level of support offered.
>
> regards,
>
> Steve Clayton
> OU DSAs
>
>
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Dixon, Mary [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> > Sent: 08 October 2002 15:28
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Funding of support
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'm new to the forum but wonder if anyone has seen any guidelines that
> > deal with the funding of support for disabled students in HE who are not
> > eligible for DSA? As I understand it any students studying for less than
> > 60 CAT points a year are not eligible, nor are international students,
> > these students are still covered by SENDA so who picks up the bill for the
> > support costs incurred?
> >
> > Any information gratefully received.
> >
> > Mary
>
----------------------
Claire Wickham
Director: Access Unit - Short Courses and Outreach
University of Bristol
Union Building
Queen's Road
Clifton
Bristol BS8 1LN
Tel: 0117 954 5710
Textphone: 0117 954 5715
Fax: 0117 954 5714
[log in to unmask]
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