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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