Dear Claire,
I am a student who has requested copies of OHP's due to my
disability (which gives me mobility difficulties with writing). In
theory this is all well and good except that it very rarely happens
that a tutor remembers to copy for me.
I have had no problems from my fellow students who seem to appreciate
my situation. They also have to put up with the noise my portable
keyboard makes when I am taking notes. They have told me that it is
distracting at times but have the attitude that this is just 'tough'.
The main benefit I have had in my studies has been through the
education of my class mates in issues relating to disabilities and
equal opportunities. By challenging their assumptions and attitudes
they have a better workable approach to disabilities which is
reflected positively in their attitudes to the extra resources I
require. This has undoubtedly made my life at University much easier.
Therefore, I think that any equal opportunities policy should include
a commitment to educating all students about equality.
A problem I have recently encountered though, so far with no
solution, has been that because I use a computer to type in exams my
tutors know which piece of work is mine even though the papers are
supposed to be marked blindly. Surely this is also an equal
opportunities issue?
Beth.
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on: Wed, 09 Dec 1998, you wrote:
Subject: Equal Opportunities
Could anyone suggest a working definition of providing equal
opportunites to disabled students?
One department is questioning whether it is equal opportunities to
provide copies of OHT's and/or lecture notes to disabled and dyslexic
students who have difficulty taking notes in lectures. They say that
other students also want these, which raises an equal opportunities
issue about providing them to some students and not to others.
Any comments and suggestions would be appreciated.
Clare.
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