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From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Callaghan, Brigid S
Sent: 26 October 2005 16:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Student non attendence when they have note takers

Could you give your comments please:

What do you do when you have a student who needs a note taker but the student is not attending classes but allowing the note taker to attend in their absence and still expecting the notes?

My feelings are:

The University is expected to make reasonable adjustments for students with evidence of a disability  under the Disability Discrimination Act (1995) SENDA part   IV (2001)  Further information regarding SENDA is available on the student support website  

 An example of one such reasonable adjustment is that some students who have been identified through the appropriate channels, will be allocated a note taker to attend their lectures, classes, seminars, tutorials etc to take notes for the student . 

Students who are allocated a note taker are expected to attend teaching  as well as their note takers. It is not considered a reasonable adjustment for note takers to attend this teaching in the absence of the student they are working for.  The work of note takers is centralised and notes are delivered to the Student  Support Office. Note takers are requested to  let us know when students are not attending and caseworkers within Student Support will monitor this. 

There are some circumstances when note takers will continue to attend and take notes for students with disabilities when the student is absent. Examples of when this is the case are, when students are absent due to necessary consultant, doctor or hospital appointments  and some other circumstances and issues relating to the individual's disability.  This will be monitored by the caseworker  within the disability team. Students are asked to inform us when they'll be absent and a judgement by the disability team is made as to whether it constitutes a reasonable adjustment to allow the note taker to continue attending and taking notes in the student's absence. 

What do others think? How do you approach this issue?  I don’t think it constitutes a reasonable adjustment to allow note takers but not the student to attend. It does not level the playing field, as then the student who does not have a disability is at a disadvantage compared to the student who does. It allows students who have a notetaker more time away from teaching to get on with other things. But, what do you all think? Maybe I am wrong on this point, I would be interested in a debate on this matter. Depts need to monitor all student attendance, but where do we fit in in this instance when it comes to note takers………………...   sorry it's a long one!

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Brigid Callaghan
Senior Disability Adviser
Student Support
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester C04 3SQ
01206 87 3260
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Website: http://www2.essex.ac.uk/stdsup/

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