HESA keep stats but they're a bit out of date and only record people who
declared to the institution
http://www.hesa.ac.uk/holisdocs/pubinfo/student/disab0102.htm
I've just done a basic search through students I've seen for DSA
assessment from July 02 to July 03 to try to count the ones who are
registered blind or partially sighted. It seems to be 64. I'm one of many
assessors who tends to have blind/ps students referred because of
background/experience so the number must be much higher.
I haven't researched this, but based on memory most of them have been
referred for assessment before they start their courses by their LEAs. Of
course I remember a small number who weren't aware of the DSA until they
started the course, and one or two who experienced disastrous delays in
the application process for one reason or another. On the whole, I think
LEAs are pretty good at sorting out early assessments - though I wonder
if it might have become more difficult now pretty much all students can
have their assessment early.
You do raise an interesting point about the number of people who apply
for DSA compared to those who don't. I don't know how we could collect
these figures, especially if the student withdraws from studies.
I've seen blind students who didn't disclose their disability at first
for fear of discrimination, even at institutions where I know disability
officers have worked hard to avoid this happening. There are others who
aren't aware of the extent of the disability if it's been a gradual
deterioration until they start uni. There are some I've met who are
desperately worried about acknowledging the extent of their visual
impairment - though they know it's an issue - because they have to deal
with issues such as giving up their driving licence. I've even met a
small number of 'dyslexic' students who should have been diagnosed with a
visual impairment.
Personally, I'd be happy to participate in any discussions on how we can
promote participation in HE for blind/partially sighted students. Late
DSA applications can be disastrous. A national campaign (e.g. by RNIB) in
FE Colleges to alert students to the need to start arranging their DSA
assessment early and making contact with Disability Advisers could help
maybe.
Ian Francis
On 24 Jul 2003 at 23:56, George Bell wrote:
> Sorry Andrew, but I also have to suggest that your figures are somewhat
> on the low side. And that is purely based on what I know we supply as a
> very tiny cog in the supplier chain.
>
> Doubtless there are statistics somewhere about, but goodness knows where
> one would start looking.
>
> George Bell
> Techno-Vision Systems Ltd
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andrew Hodgson [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 24 July 2003 23:07
> To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Ian in <3F205DD5.13393.1042013@localhost>:
>
> >Hi Rob
> >I agree with what you are saying in principle, but just wondered about
> >one stat quoted. I see quite a few visually impaired people each year
> >for assessments and know other assessors who do too. I think the number
>
> >has got to be higher than 25?
> >Ian Francis
>
> This is something that has always interested me: How many VI people get
> to the stage of applying, and how many of them get to the stage of
> assessment/getting to uni, and how many drop out after so long? I have
> seen a lot of VI people drop out after the first year due to lack of
> support/equipment/etc. I would have said 25-30 people was a good
> number.
>
> Andrew.
> >
> >
> >> RP - There are probably fewer than 25 visually impaired people each
> >> year entering higher education and needing assessments. It's
> >> important that the organisations that have expertise, (like RNIB) do
> these assessments.
>
> --
> Andrew Hodgson, Bromyard, Herefordshire, UK.
> Email: [log in to unmask]
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