For most students, training at the University will not address the
specificity of their needs, although it may familiarise them with
some of the programmes that they will use.
The aim of on site training is to ensure that the student is able to
function effectively on their home system using the assistive
technology, where relevant. There are a whole range of details,
simple but essential details, that can come up to prevent or delay
the successful completion of a task, which is what we aim to
minimise with the support. For many students, who are dont have a
comprehensive knowledge of computers, there is no substitute for
training in their own workspace on their own system. In some
cases, even students who appear to be very knowledgeable have
needed additional training time to be negotiated because it took
them longer than anticipated to assimilate the details necessary to
operate their equipment efficiently to the ends for which it was
intended.
PG
On 24 May 04, at 13:03, Michael Trott wrote:
Date sent: Mon, 24 May 2004 13:03:20 -0400 (EDT)
From: Michael Trott <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Computer training
To: [log in to unmask]
Send reply to: "Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff."
<[log in to unmask]>
In a message dated 24/05/04 17:28:58 GMT Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
<< We bill LEAs at £50 per hour for work that I do. We currently class a
day as 7 hours so the students get more training for less when compared
to Microlink or CCPD. We would would pay external trainers at the same
rate as other P/T dyslexia tutors (approx. £33 per hour). >>
A timely comment as this came up in connection with QAG today.
Assuming you are doing this training at the university rather than the
student's accommodation:
I would think that a full day is pretty hard going if you mean a full day's
training for the student. As the suppliers training cost includes travel then I
am not sure that the student gets more for less - 7x £50 = £350. Suppliers
charge from £160 to £200 for a half day including travel.
One of the tings students appreciate most is training on their own equipment.
In this way any settings that need changing are made during the training
rather than requiring the student to do these later.
If one compares a full day @ £350 in university compared to 2 half days at
between £320 and £400 at the student's accommodation on theior own equipment. I
do not think that the student would necessarilly be getting a better deal.
It has been suggested that training provision and dyslexia/other support
services should be looked at by QAG.
Any contributions to this debate would help to form opinions.
Mick Trott
Penny Georgiou
Disability Officer (Dyslexia)
Middlesex University
Needs Assessor
(North London Regional Access Centre)
Tel: 020 8411 6285
Fax: 020 8411 6237
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