As far as I know, it's the assessor's responsibility and it's precisely
what the administrators do in this office. The ACCESS Centre or
independent assessor is being paid to produce the report, complete with
quotes. Of course, one might want to question why some LEAs want three
quotes when many are happy with one, or why multiple quotes are called
for when there is often only one appropriate solution (and one
supplier) to a student's problem. However, I don't see why that should
have anything to do with university DOs and the like. Follow the money,
it's usually a good guide as to who's supposed to be responsible.
Regards, Bernard
On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 15:59:19 +0100 Cindy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear All,
>
> A number of instances have been reported to me recently where an Access
> Centre has produced a needs assessment and provided one quote, but the LEA
> requires three quotes. LEAs have made requests to my colleagues (working
> for the University) to provide the additional quotes.
>
> Could anyone clarify who is actually responsible for providing the
> additional two quotes, or whether this is an issue that has yet to be
> resolved? Should it be the original needs assessor, the student or the
> student's university / college?
>
> In my view, the additional quotes should be provided by the original needs
> assessor or his/her administrative support, given that s/he has been
> authorised and paid by the LEA to carry out the assessment and provide
> quotes. However, my colleagues have recently been told by some assessors
> that they are too busy and therefore the student or the university should
> provide the quotes.
>
> I am not inclined to agree that the university / college should provide the
> quotes because they are not being funded to do this and various colleagues
> have stated that they feel that 'Disability Officers' should not be involved
> in needs assessments apart from providing information on their institution.
> If this is the sole role of the 'Disability Officer' then the LEAs and the
> QAG can't 'have their cake and eat it' in my view! What recommendations
> are being made to LEAs regarding the number of quotes that should be
> obtained? Knowing a bit about financial requirements, I doubt that we will
> reach a situation where an LEA is satisfied with only one quote.
>
> >From the student point of view, surely the point of the needs assessment is
> that the student should not have to try and get quotes themselves?
>
> Does anyone else have a view on what should be happening?
>
> Regards,
> Cindy
>
> Cindy Williams-Findlay
> Student Enabling Centre Manager
> Room MB023
> University of Wolverhampton
> Stafford Street
> Wolverhampton
> WV1 1SB
> Telephone (01902) 32 1073
> E-mail [log in to unmask]
> Fax (01902) 32 1021
----------------------
Bernard Doherty
Student Adviser
ACCESS Centre
Anglia Polytechnic University
Tel: 01223 363271 x2534
Fax: 01223 417730
Minicom: 01223 576155
[log in to unmask]
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