Probably worth reiterating that these are "recommendations" made "in the opinion of" the writer - one could enquire on what factual, evidential basis 40% is recommended? Would he stand up in court and justify that figure? If so, it would be of great benefit to all of us to see the "scale" for extra time published!
That said, we do our best to accommodate such recommendations, but if all my dyslexic students wanted their own room for exams, it would probably exceed the number of rooms on the campus - maybe the answer is the solution new were forced into during the Foot and Mouth* epidemic - faxing /emailing exam papers to the student's home and they faxed their script back before the end of the exam.
John
*many of our students were quarantined at home on the farm
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of OSBORNE H.A.
Sent: 24 March 2011 4:05 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Reasonable?
I think this raises another issue of what students are recommended for adjustments to the examination process by psychologists/ DSA Assessors & other medical professionals versus what the institution can reasonably be expected to do & what the institutional guidelines are. E.g. A recent case of a student with mild dyslexia , the psychologist recommended 40% additional time, which the student/parent is insistent about and will complain if it is not given. The university guidelines are for a SpLD it is 25% additional time or use of a word processor. Another student with mild dyslexia insistent upon 25% additional time and use of a WP as well . I would be interested to know how other institutions are dealing with this?
Regards
Hilary
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Simon Jarvis
Sent: 24 March 2011 15:51
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Reasonable?
But students in HE in 2011 have grown up with computers; used them at school, at home, to send emails and facebook messages to friends, etc.
etc. etc.
Moving away from the student I emailed about this morning, if you think about the hundreds of students at any one HEI with special exam arrangements for one reason or another it becomes a logistical nightmare
to find enough separate rooms / computers / invigilators / et al etc. ad
infinitum. That's why I tend to encourage students to use technology, as
it is often a little easier to sort out (in this case, providing a computer and additional time is far more achievable than the frankly bizarre arrangement that he is requesting).
If there is a clear disability related justification then that's fine, but when you are dealing with a student with an ambiguous SpLD diagnosis
it often boils down to how far a student is prepared to complain until they get what they think the need.
As I said earlier, thanks to everyone for their comments and suggestions. It's been a welcome break from projecting next year's budget. :-)
Natalya Dell wrote:
> I reckon that despite using a computer full-time since I was seven
years
> old in 1987 for all education and leisure writing that it took me
until my
> early teens in 1993 to really be able to brain to computer more
> effectively than brain to handwriting. It is definitely a different
> thought process and it is more than just the physical motor skill of
> typing it's a fluency thing. I'm now more fluent in typing and can
barely
> handwrite a shopping list.
>
> I try not to forget that students often don't have the depth and
breadth
> of typing experience that I had by the time I started university. I
> handwrote exams during Alevels because I wanted to fit in and typing
> chem/bio/physics is hard - but had to go back to the keyboard because
I
> was failing due to my poor handwriting.
>
> Also using a PC is another layer of potential things to go wrong. The
> worry about "what if it crashes" or "what version of word is it going
to
> be?" "what irritating default settings will it have?" etc etc.
>
> I used to use some of my extra time to set up the PC how I liked it -
beat
> Word into shape as I wasn't a regular MS Word user at the time. I'm
techie
> so I was known for turning up extra early to exams to wire in my own
> keyboard or take ball-mice to pieces to clean them out so they worked
> properly. I've also had computers crash on me and invigilators get
into a
> complete panic which could have upset me but fortunately didn't.
>
> It would be interesting to find out why students don't want to type
and
> see what specific issues they have and whether there is training needs
> there that we could support them in getting.
>
> Natalya
>
> Lindsey said:
>
>> I chose to handwrite my answers because quite simply that's the way
my
>> brain worked. I could handwrite better constructed and more detailed
>> answers then I could have done via dictation or typing. I felt most
>> comfortable with handwriting and I can understand why some students
would
>> prefer to handwrite rather than use technology.
>>
--
Simon Jarvis
Head of Disability & Dyslexia Service
Queen Mary University of London
Student and Campus Services
Room FB 2.30, Francis Bancroft
Mile End Road, London E1 4NS
Tel: 020 7882 2765
Fax: 020 7882 5223
www.scs.qmul.ac.uk
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