Very sound advice from Anne and I would urge against making blanket arrangements, similar issue to the accommodation, all things need to be considered in context.
Hope that helps
Chris Baxter
Head of Student Disability and Diversity
Student Services
-----Original Message-----
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Anne Mwangi
Sent: 19 November 2009 10:59
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Accommodation for student with visual impairment
Dear Kirsteen,
I thought it useful to respond to this one as I have both professional and personal experience.
We do offer materials in advance where needs have been identified for SPLD and VI students. However the consistency of practice boils down to individual lecturers/departments. We also allow more time for exams/assignments for VI students and those with SPLD. Indeed I do remember that I was allowed more time for my assignments and exams when I studied at Birmingham University, before the DDA came in. It's all about awareness and understanding that depending on an individual's VI, it can take more time to do assignments/exams for a number of reasons.
1. One may be depending on readers and accessing information this way is not easy.
2. Obtaining and organising materials for assignments in accessible formats can also take considerable time and effort. You have to get permission from authors for their materials to be made accessible and this can take considerable time.
3. It can take additional time to read information even if it its in large print or on computer screens where use is being made of assistive technologies. Indeed, assistive technologies do not make screens fully accessible, some preset functions are not always enlargeable e.g. email address boxes and subject lines.
4. It can also take time to access information audibly with assistive technologies particularly if the information is complex, has tables diagrams etc.
5. Proof reading and scanning information can also be problematic.
6.Use of PDF documents is also problematic for those with VI, as they are not visible for those using different background colours, are not printable in large print and some assistive technologies cannot read them. Even having update adobe acrobat reader does not resolve the problem. This is because those converting documents into PDF formats do not use the detailed Adobe accessible standards, they simply scan the documents into an image which is not helpful for accessibility reasons. Its always helpful to provide information in alternative formats such as word or rtf as recommended by the RNIB.
I suggest you also speak to the University of Leeds as they have some very good practice on disability issues relating to staff and students. I did a postgraduate course there and found them very helpful.
Regards
Anne
-----Original Message-----
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Kirsteen Coupar
Sent: Thursday, November 19, 2009 9:33 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Accommodation for student with visual impairment
Thank you everyone, some really interesting replies, and it gives me something to go to accommodation with. They are very friendly and go the extra mile, so I know they will listen with an open mind, but at the end of their day they need to break even - so it's tough! We have some students living with carers and the cost of the carers accommodation is met through external funding, but I do see where the student is coming from. I think Guide Dogs for the Blind also tend to recommend that recipients don't live in studio apartments as they aren't considered big enough, so ideally she would be in a one bedroom flat of her own, so she isn't asking for what would really suit her best, the twin room is on the third floor and she's scared of lifts and it is still a bit cramped - but trying to pay over £700 a month would force her into debt L
Additionally, she was questioning the practice of providing materials in advance to students with visual impairments. She had asked for extra time to do assignments but the schools practice is to provide lecture notes etc in advance but not provide extensions. She finds that she can't really progress on her own before she has actually had the lecture and tutorial, so extra time in advance doesn't really help her. In addition when there is group work involved, the rest of the group isn't given information in advance, so she can't actually do anything anyway! Does anyone else routinely offer extensions or extra time to students with visual impairments?
Thanks so much!
Kirsteen
Kirsteen Coupar
Equality and Diversity Manager
Flat 40B, Catherine of Aragon Court
Southwood Site
Avery Hill Campus
University of Greenwich
Eltham
London SE9 2UG
Direct line: 020 8331 8817
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Chris Baxter
Sent: 19 November 2009 09:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Accommodation for student with visual impairment
Dear Deb (and all)
I think this is a hugely grey area. I have to say I don't agree with charging this to DSA's although I know that is common practice. Also as you say: b) the student could make an application to the ALF to help with the remaining additional cost, as this is a cost other students do not have to bear.
The reason for the additional cost would need to be looked at if it is because of a disability then the case is clearly made that the student is receiving less favourable treatment because of a disability and this is precisely the area the DED talks about 'more favourable treatment'. The student would need to be means tested for ALF which again goes against the spirit of the legislation,
I don't think there are easy answers and much will depend on the service provider (accommodation services may or may not be part of a University's provision) whether they are providing goods and services under part 3 of the act or under part 4.
All of this pontificating won't help you though Kirsteen! At Nottingham I have recently successfully provided a twin room for a disabled student because he needed adaptations to a room and a two bed apartment was the only option, we are charging him single occupancy rate. Another student requiring a carer was given two rooms and the price of the second was met through funds from within the University (student was a disabled international student) First student mentioned is here for four years; latter just one year. We are very much judging each case individually in the spirirt of reasonable adjustments.
I hope that helps
Chris
Chris Baxter
Head of Student Disability and Diversity Student Services
________________________________
From: HE Administrators equal opportunities list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Deborah Viney
Sent: 18 November 2009 17:03
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Accommodation for student with visual impairment
Hi Kirsteen
there are plenty of precedents for this and I am sorry but they are not as the student would like!
The DSAs can be used to help with the additional cost of accommodation where the student needs to have something more than a basic room for a reason related to her impairment (e.g. we used to claim this where the student was a wheelchair user and needed a larger room with en suite bathroom or where a student with a chronic medical condition needed an en suite) so that means the DSAs can be used to contribute to the EXTRA cost of the room, after subtracting the cost of a basic room. This would need to come out of the General Allowance, so it is true that it would not necessarily be enough.
If the DSAs are insufficient there are 2 or 3 options for covering the extra cost:
a) the student could consider paying for the extra from her Disability Living Allowance, since it is an impairment related cost [many students forget this is the purpose of DLA and treat it as if it were additional general income].
b) the student could make an application to the ALF to help with the remaining additional cost, as this is a cost other students do not have to bear.
c) the student should check whether she is entitled to Housing Benefit (rules were changed a few years ago, some students in halls are now entitled - though it is a bit of a hoop jumping exercise to sort it out, you will need detailed info from accommodation on how they break down costs. The student claims from the University's local Local Authority Housing Benefit Dept and not their home area one, as they used to for DSAs). If entitled, HB can help with most of the cost of the accomm, not just the extra part.
I understand the student's argument about the Unviersity should pay, but you may find it helpful to put it to her like this:
[check the facts with your senior accomm officer as this is based on my experience and not all uni accommodation is set up the same way]. I don't know what your local "void" rate is (i.e. rooms which are empty all year and not generating income) but it may be useful to find out - and ask how much less the rents could be if all rooms were 100% full!
Most Uni accommodation is run on a must break even / not for profit basis. Your accomm office may be able to show you a short summary of their financial outturn for the year - the student may be surprised to find they are not making a huge profit as most people fail to understand the hidden costs in providing student accommodation. Anyway, because the accomm is run in this way, that means that any rent costs which are not met by an individual student (e.g. giving a disabled student a discount on the accom they receive) is actually a cost to the halls which is effectively simply passed on to other students in their rent... so other students pay more because some students get a discount....
This sort of explanation may help her to see why it is better to claim from DSAs/ALF/HB.
regards, Deb
2009/11/18 Kirsteen Coupar <[log in to unmask]>
Would like feedback on the accommodation provisions for students with visual impairments.
A visually impaired student started with us last year and would have opted for our cheapest accommodation option, but all units were with shared kitchens and for health and safety reasons it was important that she had full control of environment, particularly where kitchen implements were involved. She therefore had to opt for the more expensive option of a studio flat in another hall of residence. This has been a financial struggle, but the situation has now changed as over the summer she was supplied with a guide dog and her studio flat was not large enough to house them both.
The only option was moving into a twin studio room (with own kitchen), which she did, and originally was being charged a single occupancy rate for it. Recently the accommodation office realised she was being charged single rate for a twin room and have amended her rent and she is now expected to pay double.
She has spoken to the accommodation office, and our disability team and they have advised her to look at DSA and ALF, however she feels that this is an issue that the University should be dealing with and providing access to students with visual impairments, rather than relying on external government funding. She has spoken to her local authority about the DSA and they have advised her that the part of the DSA for care would not be likely to be supplied for accommodation and would not in any case be enough.
I need to provide information to our accommodation service as to what other universities do in this situation.
It is not normal practice for our accommodation service to subsidise rent, as they tend to expect the individual with different needs to use other sources of funding.
Can anyone supply any information about their practices that might help me in tackling this issue?
Kirsteen
In addition - she did look at our 'accessible' rooms but they were geared towards wheelchair users, with low ovens and grab bars and were actually a barrier to her rather than a help.
Kirsteen Coupar
Equality and Diversity Manager
Flat 40B, Catherine of Aragon Court
Southwood Site
Avery Hill Campus
University of Greenwich
Eltham
London SE9 2UG
Direct line: 020 8331 8817
________________________________
University of Greenwich, a charity and company limited by guarantee,
registered in England (reg. no. 986729). Registered office:
Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, Greenwich, London SE10 9LS.
--
Deb Viney, Diversity Advisor, SOAS
---------------------------------------------------------
School of Oriental and African Studies
(SOAS), Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square, London, WC1H 0XG tel: 0207
898 4957 email: [log in to unmask]
This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment may still contain software viruses which could damage your computer system: you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.
This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment may still contain software viruses, which could damage your computer system: you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.
________________________________
University of Greenwich, a charity and company limited by guarantee, registered in England (reg. no. 986729). Registered office:
Old Royal Naval College, Park Row, Greenwich, London SE10 9LS.
This message has been checked for viruses but the contents of an attachment
may still contain software viruses, which could damage your computer system:
you are advised to perform your own checks. Email communications with the
University of Nottingham may be monitored as permitted by UK legislation.
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