On the one hand you could argue that producing a braille version (in the
correct format/language) of the whole prospectus will create a huge and
potentially unmanageable document and that it's very unlikely that an
applicant would realistically want to read the whole prospectus anyway.
On the other, all applicants should be able to browse all areas of the
prospectus to choose their course(s) and be able to find out about other
aspects of the institution before they choose where to study. The issue
about whether the applicant is from the UK or overseas might be a red
herring, as you'll probably need to show you're prepared for such a
request - even if the first request isn't from the UK.
Audio-taped versions are just too difficult to use and many people won't
have access to technology to facilitate access to an electronic format. I
wonder if the best and most reasonable compromise would be to produce a
recorded version on CD-Audio, with a braille/large print index. Once the
recordings are made and masters produced, this would be a fairly easy way
of distributing information. Information on each faculty/service could be
placed on separate CDs and split into tracks so they can be more easily
accessed and browsed through? Maybe the CD's could be dual format (CD-
ROM/CD-Audio) so they work in computers as well as Cd players? Applicants
could be given the option to request particular sections in Braille/Large
Print after browsing the CD.
CD-Audio would also allow other 'print impaired' applicants to access the
prospectus and might even appeal to other applicants too!
I wonder how colleagues in US-based institutions handle this request, as
their legislation has been in place longer then in the UK.
Ian Francis
On 21 Jan 2003 at 15:28, Andy Velarde wrote:
> Thanks Celia and to other colleges. yes it is, however, the actual issue
> still stands. Many thanks again, Andy
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Celia L. Cockburn" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 21, 2003 10:31 AM
> Subject: Re: Information in alternative formats
>
>
> > Dear Andy,
> > This wouldn't happen to be in response to requests from a Pakistani-based
> > "special school", would it?
> > I suspect that we have all been sent a very worrying (and potentially
> > expensive) request from a hotmail address.
> >
> >
> > At 09:52 21/01/2003 +0000, you wrote:
> > >Dear Colleagues/e-mail list members
> > >I'd be grateful to hear your opinion regarding HEIs duties to provide
> > >informations in alternative formats:
> > >1.- Would you consider that our duties will be more specific from
> September
> > >2003? to what extent?
> > >2.- Regarding uk and overseas applicants
> > >Would you consider that different responsibilities arise according of the
> > >location of the enquiry? For example, would universities have a duty to
> > >provide prospectuses on Braille if the enquirier was located in the UK
> and
> > >can only access information on Braille. would we have the same level of
> duty
> > >if the enquirier were located overseas? Many thanks for your views, Best
> > >regards, Andy Velarde University of Kent at Canterbury
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> >
> > Celia
> >
> > Disability Co-ordinator, Equality & Diversity Department, King's College
> > London, 7.36 James Clerk Maxwell Building, 57 Waterloo Road, London SE1
> > 8WA Tel: 020 7848 3799 Fax: 020 7848 3490. This message may have been
> > typed, but on a typically bad RSI /WMSDs (Work related Musculoskeletal
> > Disorders) day it will have been produced using voice recognition
> software;
> > please ignore any dictation errors I failed to recognise and correct.
> >
> > For appointments, please contact the Departmental
> > Secretary ([log in to unmask]); 020 7848 3398.
> >
>
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