Ah yes, this will be because the formal demands of graphic design are
so much higher than in, say, Law or Social Work or language training or
teaching or all the other courses that involve students being on
placements. Students should already be supplied with equipment to
support them in proof reading their own work; tutors on courses that
require rather more written material from students for assessment are
generally aware of this. (Of course, having all your students work on
Macs doesn't really help, what with their retreat into the dark ages
of assistive technology.)
Someone should discuss the particular problems envisaged with the
tutor. It is hard to imagine a situation for which a solution is not
available. On the other hand, if this is just a generalised fear on
the part of the tutor that folks with significant levels of dyslexia
are not really cut out for a life of professional design (i.e., the
tutor would not like to work with such a person), the principles of
anti-discriminatory law and practice should be explained. If the
suggestion is that student should not be offered a placement unless it
is in some way 'sheltered', then the purpose of placements is fatally
undermined, i.e., they do not give students an experience of working
life. While it's always cheering to see all members of teaching
institutions taking an interest in disability, I would question why a
tutor gets any say in an individual's support case beyond making sure
that teaching is accessible. I know a number of institutions seem
to leave the last work on disability matters to academic staff; I
have never heard a cogent argument making this a good idea.
Ah, that Friday feeling; starting early today.
Bernard
On Fri, 23 May 2003 10:54:31 +0100 Liz Thompson
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear Everyone
>
> I'd appreciate any comments / advice / information on the following:
>
> I've been contacted by an academic tutor about one of his students who is
> keen to have a career in graphic design. The tutor is concerned that this
> area of work is very pressured and demands a high degree of proof-reading
> accuracy. He doesn't feel that the student will be able to cope in the light
> of his dyslexia. He wants the student to have a work placement with a
> company that will provide a degree of protection and support for him.
>
> Any contributions welcome.
>
> Regards
>
> Liz Thompson
> Learning Support Officer
----------------------
Bernard Doherty
Student Adviser
ACCESS Centre
Anglia Polytechnic University
Tel: 01223 363271 x2534
Fax: 01223 417730
Minicom: 01223 576155
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