Hi All,
Here is the response I have had from the DfES. Perhaps it would be best to go back to the LEA who said that these were not available in Alternative Formats and point this out to them!
Lesley
" The Student Loans Company (SLC) are now responsible for ensuring that
all higher education application forms and information publications are
available in an accessible format to all students in higher education.
The Department expects the SLC to provide a service which meets
individual requirements, for example, the provision of Acrobat pdf files
which can be accessed by screen readers used by blind people. The SLC
has been working with a team of consultants with the aim of achieving
Web Accessibility Initiative compliance status for all documents likely
to be used by a disabled student. Our understanding is that early
versions of Acrobat reader did not recognise text if certain kinds of
documents were magnified, creating problems for those who wished to
enlarge the text on screen. The latest version of Acrobat reader 7.0
overcomes this difficulty except for forms which must be printed and
completed on paper. It also provides other new accessibility features
which can be viewed at:
http://www.adobe.com/enterprise/accessibility/readcontent.html
The SLC has commissioned advice from the team of consultants about any
other issues requiring address following the release of this software.
'Bridging the gap' and the DSA application forms are already produced in
the larger font size of Ariel 14. The Department has for the past few
years made available through our freephone helpline (0800 731 9133) all
our student finance booklets, including 'Bridging the gap', as A4 size
booklets in 24 point Arial font. Colleagues have reminded helpline
operators, HEIs and LEAs of their availability. LEAs have the capacity
to address the individual needs of disabled students requiring
assistance. The documents provided in pdf format are available to LEAs
and may be printed locally on different papers or enlarged as you have
suggested. LEAs may also see students personally and help them with
their applications. SLC operates a contact centre for students which
may provide documents and information in a range of formats although
this does not relieve LEAs of their responsibility to respond to special
needs arising from their customer's disabilities."
>>> [log in to unmask] 27/09/05 21:43:30 >>>
Disabled Students Allowance
Was the Application Form Accessible for you?
Are you Blind or Partially Sighted? Are you Deafblind?
Have you recently applied for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)?
Did you have difficulties in accessing the DSA application paperwork independently because the forms were not provided in Large Print or Braille?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then please read on.
My name is Susannah Barnett. I am Deaf and Partially Sighted (Deafblind). I am studying at Bristol University.
I have recently applied for DSA. As I am Partially Sighted, I read Large Print. However when I asked for a Large Print application form for DSA, I was told these were not available. I also understand Braille versions are not available either.
I think this is wrong. I think Blind, Partially Sighted, and Deafblind students should be able to access DSA forms independently. I also believe this is in breach of the Disability Discrimination Act.
I would like to do something about this and get these forms changed for other students who apply for DSA in the future.
I am planning to do a number of things.
1. I would like to make contact with as many students as possible around the country who have experienced similar problems. I hope to find out how many people this has affected.
2. I will also be making contact with my M.P. to discuss this issue.
3. I hope my M.P. will then be willing to take this issue up on my behalf with Bill Rammel, the Minister for Higher Education and Lifelong Learning.
I believe it is very important that the DSA application process is fully accessible to the people who are meant to use the system i.e. disabled students. I also believe disabled students have a right to be able to access the process independently in a format of their choice. I do not want other students applying for DSA in future years, to face the same problems I did. I want to see the DSA application forms changed and made fully accessible.
If you also found the DSA application process inaccessible, I would very much like to hear from you.
The more evidence I have, the better the chances of getting it changed.
If this has affected you, or someone you know, please do contact me on:
E-mail: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
Thank you
Sense, for people with deafblindness and associated disabilities. Charity no. 289868 www.sense.org.uk
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Lesley Morrice
ACCESS Centre Manager
(Academic Support Tutor)
Student Services
Room A5A The Orchards
University Park
Nottingham
NG7 2RD
UK
Tel: 0115 8466114
Fax: 0115 8466116
EMail: [log in to unmask]
Website: www.nottingham.ac.uk/as
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