Simon,

I think that this is an excellent suggestion, i.e. to send HEIs a list of students who are awaiting assessment. As you say, it may take some time in the first instance to contact them all, but ultimately it would prevent disability departments having to deal with bad assessments arising out of telephone interviews and all that may entail (sorting out recommendations, clarifying the HEI's position, etc.)

For what its worth in my previous life as a freelance needs assessor I did a few telephone assessments over the years, mainly for OU students with acute anxiety and agoraphobia. I never liked doing them and usually had to recommend huge amounts of IT training - my suspicion often being that had the student been able to see some of the equipment demonstrated they'd have picked programs more attuned to their needs. I just don't see that providing en masse telephone assessments is the right solution to the problem.

Charmaine, what you suggest is fine in principle, but I don't think many students would bother to go and have the follow-up session having had their equipment recommendations green-lit.

I'm happy as list owner to collate responses to the Disabled Students Stakeholder Group.


On 19/07/2011 12:01, Simon Morris wrote:

I would agree. Telephone assessments are just wrong.  There is already such a difference in quality of assessment coming through.  It seems to me that there is just so much emphasis on numbers and targets rather that quality of content.  Dare I say a bit of a “stack them high, sell them cheap” philosophy.  For example two assessments I have received in the past two weeks have equipment that is not suitable for the students course.  The assessor in both cases hasn’t contact us for course information and hasn’t even stated my correct name or contact details. 

 

Don’t get me wrong, I know there is a need for time scales, I am just not keen on taking a short cut to get people through a system they might have changed their mind about, or be just confused of what to do next, is the right way forward.  Perhaps giving HEI’s a list of students outstanding would help, we can then do our bit in progressing them. Yes I know it would take time we don’t have, but I would rather that than get some half baked assessments through, were students may have to go back later to the assessor for further equipment or a change in support.

 

Just my view, I am sure that many will disagree.

 

Simon Morris | Student Support Manager

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From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Gerard Conroy
Sent: 19 July 2011 11:35
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Backlog of Assessments

 

I am opposed to telephone assessments for DSA purposes. The one coming to be assessed often does know what technology is available to help, during the assessment I demonstrate software to a student and allow them to “play” themselves. This is impossible with a telephone assessment and without such an opportunity the assessment must be flawed. I do not know what the Becta ‘Home Access Assistive Technology programme’ was trying to determine but I would be surprised if the aim was similar to a DSA assessment. Please do not make this the norm.



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Simon Jarvis
Head of Disability & Dyslexia Service
Queen Mary University of London

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