There is no off list address for Claire, so I apologise for replying to you all:  you would be very welcome at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Claire, on Thursday, November, 18th, if that fits in with other offers. When I started here, I was given a similar opportunity to visit disability services in USA and it has proved a very useful experience.
Jean Jameson
Adviser to Students with Disabilities/Dyslexia
London School of Economics
 


 -----Original Message-----
From:   Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]]  On Behalf Of clair
Sent:   27 October 2004 23:47
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Manchester, London, Bristol: A one-week visit mid November

Six weeks ago when I joined this e-group, I sent a mail describing what
we are
attempting at the Middle East Technical university in Ankara.  A month
and a half
ago, I didn't even dream of coming over to Britain, but today I found
out that the
British Council will sponsor me a visit to Britain to find out about
good practice in
terms of disability support at universities.

I would have prefered something less rushed, with more time to plan.
However, I am
also being asked to research issues concerning disability rights
campaigning, work
which needs to be done in time for a nation-wide campaign in December.

The only suitable time is the week of Eid: my flights are booked to
arrive in
Manchester on Saturday 13th November, returning from Manchester to
Ankara on Sunday
21st.   As I will only have the 5 working days 15th to 19th November, I
will focus on
3 towns to minimise travel.

I would like to know about disability support services that I can visit in
MANCHESTER, LONDON and BRISTOL.  The timetable will be tight as I will
also have to
visit other organisations (as yet to be specified by the British Council
contact here
in Ankara).

Manchester will be either at the beginning 15th-16th, or at the end 18th-19th
November.
London will have to be in the middle of the week, either 16th-17th, or 17th-18th.
The other day will be Bristol, either 15th or 19th November.

What I would like to see:
So far I have only read about such services on websites.  A number of
acronyms have
little meaning.  I can only imagine what the range of duties and responsibilities
are.  One point I need to know more about is registration, and another
is needs
assessment.

For me this will be a major step in the development of our program in
Turkey: for the
first time I will be meeting people who are ahead of me: I will not need
to convince
you that the issues ARE important and CAN be delt with.  Once I meet a
number of
people and am able to describe what we have been able to do so far, what
we feel are
issues and possible solutions, and listened to what has been happening
in Britain, I
am sure that some interesting ideas will emerge.

Planning seems a little daunting at the moment; probably the first to
say which date
will be suitable will get confirmed, others having to fit in around that
date.  I do
not expect to see as much as there is to see, but this will be a
beginning.  Things
are now developing very quickly in Turkey, so this may be just a first visit.

I look forward to hearing from you, and meeting some of you in 3 weeks
from now.

Claire Ozel,
METU without Barriers,
Middle East Technical University,
Ankara, Turkey.