Dear Maragret and Adele,
It is often difficult to speak out or express an opinion about an
organsiation, especially when you are relatively lowdown in any heirarchy
of power/authority (real or imagined). It would be interesting to know what
the response rate is for non-disabled students with regard to surveys and
feedback that is potentailly critical of institutional practice.
In my own experience I would say it's the disabling attitudes that are
hardest to describe and pin-point. Sometimes it means describing behaviours
of people who may be in senior positions. The hardest bit though is finding
the right language -it can be difficult, if not impossible, to tease out
what would be considered 'personal', what might be considered a reasonable
response to any student, and what might just be down to the fact that the
filler-in of the survey misunderstood the situation or comment in the first
place.
Social networking on the internet is a very interesting activity in terms
of writing but also in terms of identity. If a contributor is anonymous or
uses a persona or an avatar then are they still the same person who
inhabits the 'real-time-space' world of the HEI?
Use of word like 'expose' and 'contest' - quite combative and potentially
threatening? (although i recognise the language of the academy
there)....what about 'explore' , 'discover' or 'play'???
Amanda Kent
DSA Assessor (sometimes ;-) )
On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 14:29:57 +0100, Margaret McKay <m.mckay@RSC-SW-
SCOTLAND.AC.UK> wrote:
>Hi Adele
>
>Interesting theory, you mean students were reluctant to speak honestly
>about their experiences because of perceived repercussions on them as
>individuals?
>
> I suppose this is why the option to articulate thoughts, concerns and
>experiences in a more organic (and anonomised) way via web 2.0
>technologies such as community Blogs etc, might allow students to feel
>they can say what they feel and would allow an institution to be clear
>about the true experiences of their disabled users.
>
>Thanks for your feedback!
>
>Margaret McKay
>eLearning Advisor: Accessibility & Inclusion
>JISC Regional Support Centre - Scotland South & West
>
>Tel: 0141 585 0022/0023
>Fax: 0141 585 0020
>
>Textphone or Typetalk users:
>18001 0141 585 0022/0023
>
>
>[log in to unmask]
>www.rsc-sw-scotland.ac.uk <http://www.rsc-sw-scotland.ac.uk/>
>
>Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message.
>If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible
>for delivery of the message to such person), you may not disclose, copy
>or deliver this message to anyone and any action taken or omitted to be
>taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. In such
>case, you should destroy this message and kindly notify the sender by
>reply email. Please advise immediately if you or your employer do not
>consent to Internet email for messages of this kind. Opinions,
>conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to
>the official business of the University of Glasgow shall be understood
>as neither given nor endorsed by it
>
>
>________________________________
>
>From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Adele Laing {PG}
>Sent: 03 April 2007 12:47
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Disability Equality Duty - Involving Disabled People and
>Gathering Information from Users
>
>
>
>Hello Margaret,
>
>
>
>Sorry this is a bit late! I am currently finishing off my PhD thesis
>reporting praxis using VLE's as a mechanism for supporting the
>institutional members to explore, expose and contest disabling practices
>and procedures in Higher Education. I am currently working on a second
>development (including other mechanisms of social networking) which, as
>you identify, in light of legislative changed can provide material to
>feed into the DES and promote more profound organizational change.
>
>
>
>Interestingly the way the problem is posed suggests that the problem to
>be addressed is the confidence deficit of students, however the work I
>have been involved in was informed by the concerns of a steering group
>of University students who suggested that people would be hesitant to
>speak out, not because they lacked confidence or skills, rather because
>of the dangerous nature of the organizations and the potential
>repercussions this might have for themselves.
>
>
>
>
>
> Best wishes,
>
>
>
>Adele
>
>
>________________________________
>
>From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Margaret McKay
>Sent: 26 March 2007 16:01
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Disability Equality Duty - Involving Disabled People and
>Gathering Information from Users
>
>
>Thanks Claire,
>
>Yes I have contacted Sian and been in discussion with her. She was a
>great help!
>
>
>
>Margaret McKay
>eLearning Advisor: Accessibility & Inclusion
>JISC Regional Support Centre - Scotland South & West
>
>Tel: 0141 585 0022/0023
>Fax: 0141 585 0020
>
>Textphone or Typetalk users:
>18001 0141 585 0022/0023
>
>
>[log in to unmask]
>www.rsc-sw-scotland.ac.uk <http://www.rsc-sw-scotland.ac.uk/>
>
>Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message.
>If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible
>for delivery of the message to such person), you may not disclose, copy
>or deliver this message to anyone and any action taken or omitted to be
>taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. In such
>case, you should destroy this message and kindly notify the sender by
>reply email. Please advise immediately if you or your employer do not
>consent to Internet email for messages of this kind. Opinions,
>conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to
>the official business of the University of Glasgow shall be understood
>as neither given nor endorsed by it
>
>
>________________________________
>
>From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Claire Wickham
>Sent: 26 March 2007 15:52
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Disability Equality Duty - Involving Disabled People and
>Gathering Information from Users
>
>
>Hi,
>
>have you contacted Sian Davies who is leading the Disability Equality in
>FE Project and who has collected examples of good practie?
>
>[log in to unmask]
>
>http://www.unison.org.uk/disabled/index.asp
>
>ATB
>
>Claire
>
>
>Claire Wickham
>Senior Disability Officer
>Disability Resource Centre
>University of the West of England
>Frenchay Campus
>Coldharbour Lane
>Bristol BS16 1QY
>
>Tel: 0117 328 3737
>Textphone: 0117 32 83644
>Fax: 0117 32 82935
>
>Please note that this e-mail was written using speech input and may
>contain some small voice recognition errors.
>
>
>________________________________
>
>From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Margaret McKay
>Sent: 26 March 2007 15:04
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Disability Equality Duty - Involving Disabled People and
>Gathering Information from Users
>
>
>I am very interested in looking at how educational institutions have
>used, or are thinking of using technology in innovative ways in engaging
>with disabled staff and students in order to generate feedback about
>policies, procedures and practices that impact on their everyday
>environment.
>
>In my experience, some students (in particular younger learners or those
>not used to college/university life) for example, may not feel confident
>in attending focus groups or meetings, they might not feel that they
>want to speak up in committees but might quite comfortably express their
>view on a social network where they have anonymity and freedom to
>express themselves.
>
>I am interested in hearing from anyone who has experience of use of
>VLE's, wikis or other social networking approaches to engage with
>disabled users about their experiences at college/university as part of
>their DED.
>
>Can you help or do you know of any examples of where this approach has
>been adopted?
>
>Many thanks
>
>Margaret McKay
>eLearning Advisor: Accessibility & Inclusion
>JISC Regional Support Centre - Scotland South & West
>
>Tel: 0141 585 0022/0023
>Fax: 0141 585 0020
>
>Textphone or Typetalk users:
>18001 0141 585 0022/0023
>
>
>[log in to unmask]
>www.rsc-sw-scotland.ac.uk <http://www.rsc-sw-scotland.ac.uk/>
>
>Privileged/Confidential Information may be contained in this message.
>If you are not the addressee indicated in this message (or responsible
>for delivery of the message to such person), you may not disclose, copy
>or deliver this message to anyone and any action taken or omitted to be
>taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. In such
>case, you should destroy this message and kindly notify the sender by
>reply email. Please advise immediately if you or your employer do not
>consent to Internet email for messages of this kind. Opinions,
>conclusions and other information in this message that do not relate to
>the official business of the University of Glasgow shall be understood
>as neither given nor endorsed by it
>
>
>________________________________
>
>This incoming email to UWE has been independently scanned for viruses by
>McAfee anti-virus software and none were detected
>
>________________________________
>
>This email was independently scanned for viruses by McAfee anti-virus
>software and none were found
>
>
>________________________________
>
>I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
>It has removed 3169 spam emails to date.
>Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
>Try SPAMfighter <http://www.spamfighter.com/len> for free now!
>
>
>--
>
>The University of Stirling is a university established in Scotland by
>charter at Stirling, FK9 4LA. Privileged/Confidential Information may be
>contained in this message. If you are not the addressee indicated in
>this message (or responsible for delivery of the message to such
>person), you may not disclose, copy or deliver this message to anyone
>and any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is
>prohibited and may be unlawful. In such case, you should destroy this
>message and kindly notify the sender by reply email. Please advise
>immediately if you or your employer do not consent to Internet email for
>messages of this kind.
>
>
