Talking of LEAs acting outside the bounds of their discretion ...
I recently had a situation in which an LEA commissioned a needs
assessment for a visually-impaired student and was unhappy with
the extent of support recommended. The officer therefore based her
limited approvals of the assessment on discussions with an
assessor who had no knowledge of the student, the disability, or
the course the student was doing. I was told that the conclusions
were based on the students 'level of disability'. It seems to me that
this makes a mockery of the assessment process - if we are to
assess by level of disability only, without any context at all, then
there is no point in having a personalised system.
I pointed out to the LEA officer that I believed she had acted
outside the bounds of her discretion. Her response was to contact
the student telling him to package up the computer etc. that had
been delivered to him (5 weeks after the start of his course). He
was asked to attend a second needs assessment, travelling some
way and having to take time off during term-time for this purpose.
He was totally bewildered by the whole process. As a result of the
second assessment, he was recommended very similar (and in
some areas more extensive) levels of support - the major difference
seemd to be that the computer was ordered from a different
company from the first time around.
I am appalled at how this student has been treated, and would be
curious to know if this has happened elsewhere.
Best wishes
Hannah
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Dr Hannah Young
University Disability Adviser
Diversity and Equal Opportunities Unit
University of Oxford
University Offices
Wellington Square
Oxford OX1 2JD
Tel: 01865 280459
Fax: 01865 280300
Email : [log in to unmask]
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