Some LEAs are getting students to sign a form once the training has taken place and this releases the funding. As part of their follow-up assessment centres will be checking that it has taken place which acts as a prompt for the student.
Chris
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tony Lees
Sent: 27 March 2007 14:24
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: training
Hi Emma,
I'm not sure this helps you very much but if we could persuade all the students for whom we have outstanding training sessions (some £200,000 worth, already agreed by LEA's) to take them up I for one would be a very happy supplier! Just think, fantastic (well specified) equipment, excellent service and trained to get the best out of it all - surely this is the student "level playing field" (and not just nirvana) for which we all strive?
Regards, Tony
Tony Lees
Avantek Computer Limited
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Emma Wright
> Sent: 27 March 2007 14:10
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: training
>
> I just want to clarify something I said the other day and should have
> been clearer about at the time... I've spoken to a few students from
> a few universities and although all of these have said they were not
> offered training, they are not likely to be representative of all
> students, and my next task is to contact the staff responsible for
> offering training to see what percentage of the whole are offering
> training.
> Indeed, one university representative has already been in touch to say
> they do offer training to most students. The students at that
> university actually said that although they hadn't been offered
> training, they didn't really feel they needed it anyway (which may
> translate to an offer having been made but turned down!).
>
> Training wasn't something I covered in a big way during my interviews
> as students gave me the impression that it wasn't that important to
> them, but the discussion on this board has made me rethink that. I
> know that personally I could have done with some training had there
> been enough money available for it, but it seems not all students feel
> the same. What I was intending to highlight in my post was the
> apparent difference between the assumption on this board that training
> is a given and students perceptions that they were not offered any
> (which may of course be incorrect) or that did not want it. I wonder
> how this translates in terms of feedback on the quality of training if
> students don't feel it is very important anyway, and on how good they
> perceive the equipment to be if they haven't been trained how to make
> full use of it.
>
> Anyway, this leads me to ask the following questions of you all, do
> you have any figures, or even anecdotes, hunches, etc, regarding the
> number of students that are offered training and those that take it
> up? What sort of software/hardware do you tend to offer training on,
> and which do you not? Does the funding tend to be readily available
> for this training? Do you have in-house or external trainers on hand
> for this? Do your students seem to feel training is important, and if
> not, why not? Any responses to any of the questions will be very
> welcome (preferably off list -
> [log in to unmask]) and will be used as background information
> to my PhD research.
>
> Emma
>
>
>
>
> On 27/03/07, Nasser <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > Hi Alex
> >
> > Can you let me know how you get your training referrals? Do you
> > contact students or are they passed on to you by the
> institution or the supplier?
> >
> > The reason for asking is that we often come across students
> that were
> > supposed to be trained by the institution but we find that
> they have
> > not received the training, In such circumstances we would like to
> > refer them back to other training providers who are based in the
> > vicinity and if this is provided by an assessment centre or
> University
> > then even better. We strongly feel receiving the training at early
> > stages will prevent potential problems and will
> significantly improve
> > the quality of life for the students. I think prevention is
> always better than the cure.
> >
> > We have our own trainers too but we either use them if the LEA
> > requests us to carry out the job or there are no other training
> > providers nearby. We previously found that pressuring
> students towards
> > getting the training confused some of them as they had been
> contacted
> > and trained by other trainers we hence had ended up duplicating the
> > job which meant we could not be paid for the training sessions. I
> > think it is safer for us to let the LEAs place the order with us to
> > avoid such situation as well as not stepping on other people's toes.
> >
> > At the moment we operate a system of providing information to some
> > training providers on the delivery of the equipment to the
> students so
> > that the training can be carried out at the earliest opportunity. I
> > think the longer the student has the equipment without the training
> > the less likely it becomes for them to take the recommended
> training.
> > If you are interested in receiving this information for
> your students please let me know.
> >
> >
> > Best wishes
> >
> > Nasser Siabi
> > Managing Director
> > Microlink PC (UK) Ltd
> > Direct: 02380 240 316
> > Mobile: 07870603128
> >
> > This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and
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> > destroy and delete the message from your computer. Please note that
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> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of alex larg
> > Sent: 27 March 2007 01:47
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: FW: training
> >
> > Hi Emma,
> >
> > I am a freelance trainer, an assessor, a former disability
> officer and
> > a campaigner and so have an interest in your comments.
> >
> > I aim to offer a person-centred approach to the clients' training
> > sessions that I deliver and I don't feel that I need to
> know anything
> > about a person before I train them. I feel that this
> advance knowledge
> > can lead to people having certain preconceptions which
> isn't healthy
> > and can lead to laziness and complacency.
> >
> > I train in most software strategies, with the exception of
> JAWS as I
> > am not a user myself and don't currently have the time to
> develop my
> > knowledge of that complex program. I probably don't know everything
> > about every program, but I know how to find out quickly. I learn
> > something new everyday from the questions I am asked by
> clients - this
> > may sound like I don't know much, but there is a lot of
> truth to the
> > saying - the more you know the more you realize you don't know. I
> > won't know anything soon :-)
> >
> > I also know what programs should do and so can reassure
> clients when
> > programs don't do what they should that it is not they (the client)
> > who are doing something wrong. This situation can be
> intimidating and
> > off putting for users. Again I feel this is exacerbated by
> underspecified machines.
> > Another thing I keep going on about on one list or another.
> >
> > Wherever possible I would try to relate training to the work that a
> > student has on the go. Where this is not possible the
> training might
> > be aimed at creating an individualised user manual for the user as
> > they know how they learn and how they will best remember. Visual,
> > textual and/or aural/oral as required. They may not know they know
> > this, but I aim to help them to realize this or at least begin to
> > consider this and then suggest they carry this philosophy
> through to other pieces of work.
> > I use plain English - non jargon - but using targeted essential
> > language which is used within computer systems - widely used
> > vocabulary necessary to function and interact. I will
> patiently repeat
> > this language and any points, if so required, until the client is
> > comfortable and has grasped the necessary information.
> >
> > I also don't have a set way of doing things as everyone is
> different
> > and in my opinion good training has a solid framework basis, but
> > requires flexibility to wrap around the clients' own
> learning styles.
> >
> > I work all around the country. Please contact me off list for any
> > further information. I would also be interested in the names of the
> > three universities you mention, off list.
> >
> > Best wishes,
> >
> > Alex
> >
> > Alex Larg
> >
> > [log in to unmask]
> > 07931 561 877 or 07916 175 077
> > Freelance Assistive Technology Trainer Freelance study
> needs assessor
> > Former Disability Officer
> >
> >
> >
> > ------ Forwarded Message
> > From: Emma Wright <[log in to unmask]>
> > Reply-To: "Discussion list for disabled students and their
> support staff."
> > <[log in to unmask]>
> > Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:51:12 +0100
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Subject: Re: training
> >
> > I keep hearing all this about training, but I've never been offered
> > any! Nor have any of the students I've interviewed as part of my
> > research across (so far) three universities. What sort of training
> > for what sort of software tends to be offered?
> >
> > Emma
> >
> > On 26/03/07, George Bell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > > Might I perhaps suggest that people take a serious look at
> > > http://www.bcab.org.uk/training.html
> > >
> > > This is an initiative taken by the British Computer
> Association of
> > > the Blind (BCAB) in response to complaints about poor
> standards of
> > > training in the use of I.T.
> > > equipment.
> > >
> > > Many organisations, including the Department of Employment for
> > > example, are now insisting that contracted trainers are
> BTCS (BCAB
> > > Trainer Certification Scheme) approved.
> > >
> > > Food for thought?
> > >
> > > George Bell.
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their
> support staff.
> > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Austen
> > > Sent: 26 March 2007 13:51
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: training
> > >
> > > Posted without comment
> > > extract from the 'form' letter sent out to students
> regarding their
> > > DSA provision. This is from a local LEA
> > > ( I do not think it is appropriate to name which one).
> > >
> > > "Recently, some students have informed us that they felt
> > > pressurized into accepting training provided by their University.
> > > Please note that the LEA only uses training companies who are
> > > thoroughly reliable and have many years' experience.with
> equipment
> > > training for disabled students.
> > > If you feel that you have been treated unfairly by any
> individual
> > > or by a professional body, please contact us immediately
> and we will
> > > ensure appropriate action is taken".
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Emma Jane Wright
> > School of Sociology and Social Policy University of Nottingham
> >
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> > www.accessingmaterials.org.uk
> >
> >
> > ------ End of Forwarded Message
> >
> > Sent using the Microsoft Entourage 2004 for Mac Test Drive.
> >
>
>
> --
> Emma Jane Wright
> School of Sociology and Social Policy
> University of Nottingham
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> www.accessingmaterials.org.uk
>
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