Absolutely Ian, you're completely right.

It's easy to get stuck inn one's own situation, with a comparatively
visible disability, that one's had from birth. As I tried to say in
my message, if you go through the "normal" routes, then you're fine,
however if not, then you're stuck.

As for why students don't declare a disability, well baring in mind
that institutions like the University of Cardiff have a policy that
discriminates, are you surprised? after the university's selection
process, they then forward the application to their disability
section, and only offer a place if they feel that they can meet the
prospective student's needs. The point is not that they're being
realistic, but that they damm well have to meet the student's needs.
The disability bit should be left entirely to the student's choice as
to whether she/he involves any disability officer or not. It's also
up to the student when she/he involves people. It's entirely
reasonable for a student not to let anyone at the university know that
they have a disability until the first day of term, and still expect
their needs to be met in a reasonable time-frame. There are still
institutions around the country that insist that their disabled
students live in certain accomodation, (ghettoising) can only study in
certain buildings, and so on. Any action on the part of any
institution which treats people differently without their consent
purely on the grouhnds of disability is discrimination. You can dress
it up how you like, on grounds of health and safety, or whatever, but
people have a right to choose to be who and what they want to.

I think the biggest problem I face as a disabled person is, that I
can't pick and choose what help I need. Once you admit to a
disability, then you're labled, and you either get loads of support or
not much. It's interesting when you overhear yourself being discussed
by your 2 support workers, especially when one is asking the other
what help I will need on a trip to London! grin. I didn't fire them!.

In addition I resent the fact that because of my disability I have to
go through many hoops to get what I need. In order to buy a tactile
watch, I either have to travel to the RNIB in London, or use their
mail-order service. I'm not given the chance to go to a local store
to look at what I want, neither do I have a choice about where I buy
things.

Soap box over!

Rob

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Ian
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2003 11:09 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Provision of equipment for visually impaired people


I meet many students who have come through specialist schooling routes
to
HE who decide they are fed up being treated as a "special case" and
want
to try to study at university without revealing their disability or
seeking specialist support. I also meet students who come through
traditional routes and have a progressive disability that they're just
used to 'dealing with' and it's very difficult for them to accept that
they might need help.

These tend to be students with 'severe' disabilities who you could
argue
are most in need of early access to DSA. However frustrating this can
be
for disability officers etc, if they decide not to reveal a disability
to
their LEA or Uni we have to ask what put them off revealing the nature
and extent of the disability.

 I don't think these students should be penalised for changing their
mind
once they realise the implications of HE studies. I suspect there are
many more who go all the way through their course without seeking
support
- unless some kind of crisis means they meet with a disability
officer
or talk to their LEA.

I still think some kind of publicity campaign about the DSA -
magazines,
newspapers, maybe even radio adverts - every spring time would be a
good
idea.

Ian

On 2 Aug 2003 at 0:33, Rob Powell wrote:

> Sorry this is a bit old, I've been away. George, you're falling
into
> an assumption that the student goes to one of the mainstream V.I
> Ghetto schools. I didn't know about DSA, wasn't told about it by
> anyone until I got braille information from GSCC. I accept that I'm
> unusual as an immature mature student, but if you're not in the
> sausage machine, then you're not automatically tapped into
information
> sources.
>
>
> Ro0b
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of George Bell
> Sent: Friday, July 25, 2003 12:10 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: Provision of equipment for visually impaired people
>
>
> Hi Ian,
>
> Perhaps we should ask ourselves first if this is an issue which is
> exclusive to the V.I. Sector?
>
> That said, I have lost count of the times we have spoken to
students -
> before the summer holidays - who hope to be going on to F.E.,
> University
> or whatever. We have stressed the need to get their DSA application
> moving with their L.A.. Even though they may not have a place, we
> suggest they at least get the forms and supplier quotes together.
>
> And then late September, all hell breaks loose with demands that
> equipment MUST BE SUPPLIED BY 4TH OCTOBER, or such like.
>
> As far as we can tell, the reasons for delays falls into two
> categories.
>
> 1) The student is to blame in failing to apply in timely fashion.
> 2) The LEA's Grants department have had "Holiday Fever", resulting
in
> a
> back log.
>
> We find the third reason, "I didn't know about the DSA!" to be
rather
> a
> weak excuse. Don't they talk to other students, advisors, and such
> like?
>
> George Bell
> Techno-Vision Systems Ltd
>
>
> > 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