This is back an old argument that has reigned for a long time. Laptop
versus Desktop.
I believe that all students should be given a laptop and that to award a
desktop should require a special and detailed rational. This rational is
in line with schools and colleges and for no other reason.
However I can and do agree that it is often a better option for students in
student accommodation to be allowed a laptop as there is often a lack of
space for a desk top and where security is an issue a laptop can be
locked away in a drawer. There has been some interesting work done
on the ergonomics of laptops over desktops and yet I have seen nothing
that would make me stop using my laptop and change to a desktop
especially as I am not a touch typist and even after 30 years of
keyboarding I still prefer to look at the keyboard when typing glancing at
the screen to check from time to time.
All these arguments were put to the DfES when they asked for rationales
as to which should be recommended unfortunately it was the ergonomic
argument that pushed the decision towards desktops as the cost of
making a laptop ergonomic made it an expensive option. I often see
students using their desktop on the floor as they have neither no desk or
space for one; not sure the ergonomic argument has an answer to this
one, except that a laptop is going to be easier to handle.
Today laptops are indeed similar in price to desktops and whilst I do not
wish to cloud the issue with a reference to the costs you quote I think
that you have looked at high specification machines well beyond the
needs of the average student. For most students the cost of a laptop
would be around £525 and would buy a Celeron 2.6ghz, 256MB RAM,
40GB, DVD-CDWRITERr, 14" TFT, 56k modem, Lan, Windows XP
Home, this is more than ample computing power to operate a large
range of assistive software. A comparable desktop would be the
Celeron 2.66GHZ, 256mb Ram, 40gb Hard Drive, i810 Video Card,
Sound Card, DVD/CDWriter Rom, Speakers, 56k Internal Modem,
NIC,Microsoft Mouse, Keyboard, Motherboard, Windows XP Pro and 17”
CRT monitor which costs around £500. Warranties for both are the
same and suppliers seem to have no difficulties supporting either
machine.
Given that we now have a number of cases where a student has been
awarded a desktop as an undergraduate and then as a postgraduate
needs a laptop (PGCE students come to mind here) the issue of a
laptop in the first place would make it a very cheap option to having to
replace or rent later on.
Just a few thoughts and I would welcome a debate on this area.
--
Ian Webb
Disability Adviser
MNADO
"We lack wings to fly, but we always have strength enough to fall"
Paul Claudel
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