My gut feeling is that to allow the use of a disk would be to give him
an unfair advantage. Other students don't cut up their notes and paste
them into an essay - they have to use them to write the essay. He
would have the advantage of probably taking in better, more well written
(ie fuller sentences, rather than bullet pointed notes) and possibly
more detail than other students. He could also use search features etc.
He already has the use of the PC, which will enable him to write his
notes and still cut and paste under examination conditions. I would be
more tempted to allow paper notes and 25% extra time for the dyslexia as
you said. Could you also make an allowance for the severe exam anxiety
(eg individual room, rest breaks if required, cup of tea and some tender
loving care!!)
Elaine Shillcock
Head-Disability Support office
The University of Manchester
Oxford Road
Manchester MP3 9PL
Tel 0161-275-7512
Email [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of patz
Sent: 29 January 2004 23:28
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Reasonableness
Now that I am in 'writing to the list' mode, I thought I might as well
carry on and ask about the other things bothering me. I have asked this
one
before but not managed to resolve it satisfactorily.
I have a dyslexic student who is facing an Open Book exam next month.
This
means that students are given an aspect of the body to study, and then
they
go into a one hour exam armed with their notes and any other other
materials
they like, but not text books.
They are then given the actual question they have to answer.
The particular student reacts very badly under pressure, and receives
25%
extra time. The problem we have is that although he is allowed to use a
laptop, IS he allowed to bring a disk of notes and construct his essay
using
that? From the point of view of his tutors, he could have an essay
ready
made on computer to use- but then he doesn't know beforehand what the
question actually is. If he writes longhand he is battling doubly
against
time. If he can't use a disk, he argues that he is then having to work
across different media turning paper notes into type.
I can see that if he can cut & paste chunks of material to save typing
time
he can then spend more time trying to organise what he has. It is
supposed
to be a test of using appropriate information to answer a medical
question
within a time limit. It's not about writing or typing.... Before I get
girded up for this, I'd really like to know what others think...
Best wishes and thanks,
Pat Costall. One more question coming up.
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