I look forward to their reply :-)

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support 
> staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Conway
> Sent: 27 March 2007 14:59
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: training
> 
> Good to hear it, Tony.  - I've just forwarded your message to 
> one of those students with 5 x 1/2 training 
> allocated...................
> 
> Dr John S Conway FGS FRGS MNADO FHEA
> Disability Officer / Principal Lecturer in Soil Science / 
> Chair, Research Committee Royal Agricultural College, 
> Cirencester, Glos GL7 6JS
> 01285 652531 ext 2234  fax 01285 650219 
> http://www.rac.ac.uk/index.php?_id=590
> email [log in to unmask]  
>   
>   
>  
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support 
> staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Tony Lees
> Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 2:24 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: training
> 
> Hi Emma,
> I'm not sure this helps you very much but if we could 
> persuade all the students for whom we have outstanding 
> training sessions (some £200,000 worth, already agreed by 
> LEA's) to take them up I for one would be a very happy 
> supplier! Just think, fantastic (well specified) equipment, 
> excellent service and trained to get the best out of it all - 
> surely this is the student "level playing field" (and not 
> just nirvana) for which we all strive?
> 
> Regards, Tony
> 
> Tony Lees
> Avantek Computer Limited
>  
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their 
> support staff. 
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Emma Wright
> > Sent: 27 March 2007 14:10
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: training
> > 
> > I just want to clarify something I said the other day and 
> should have 
> > been clearer about at the time...  I've spoken to a few 
> students from 
> > a few universities and although all of these have said they 
> were not 
> > offered training, they are not likely to be representative of all 
> > students, and my next task is to contact the staff responsible for 
> > offering training to see what percentage of the whole are offering 
> > training.
> > Indeed, one university representative has already been in 
> touch to say 
> > they do offer training to most students.  The students at that 
> > university actually said that although they hadn't been offered 
> > training, they didn't really feel they needed it anyway (which may 
> > translate to an offer having been made but turned down!).
> > 
> > Training wasn't something I covered in a big way during my 
> interviews 
> > as students gave me the impression that it wasn't that important to 
> > them, but the discussion on this board has made me rethink that.  I 
> > know that personally I could have done with some training had there 
> > been enough money available for it, but it seems not all 
> students feel
> > the same.   What I was intending to highlight in my post was the
> > apparent difference between the assumption on this board 
> that training 
> > is a given and students perceptions that they were not offered any 
> > (which may of course be incorrect) or that did not want it. 
>  I wonder 
> > how this translates in terms of feedback on the quality of 
> training if 
> > students don't feel it is very important anyway, and on how 
> good they 
> > perceive the equipment to be if they haven't been trained 
> how to make 
> > full use of it.
> > 
> > Anyway, this leads me to ask the following questions of you all, do 
> > you have any figures, or even anecdotes, hunches, etc, 
> regarding the 
> > number of students that are offered training and those that take it 
> > up?  What sort of software/hardware do you tend to offer 
> training on, 
> > and which do you not?  Does the funding tend to be readily 
> available 
> > for this training?  Do you have in-house or external 
> trainers on hand 
> > for this?  Do your students seem to feel training is 
> important, and if 
> > not, why not?  Any responses to any of the questions will be very 
> > welcome (preferably off list -
> > [log in to unmask]) and will be used as background 
> information 
> > to my PhD research.
> > 
> > Emma
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > On 27/03/07, Nasser <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > > Hi Alex
> > >
> > > Can you let me know how you get your training referrals? Do you 
> > > contact students or are they passed on to you by the
> > institution or the supplier?
> > >
> > > The reason for asking is that we often come across students
> > that were
> > > supposed to be trained by the institution but we find that
> > they have
> > > not received the training, In such circumstances we would like to 
> > > refer them back to other training providers who are based in the 
> > > vicinity and if this is provided by an assessment centre or
> > University
> > > then even better. We strongly feel receiving the training 
> at early 
> > > stages will prevent potential problems and will
> > significantly improve
> > > the quality of life for the students. I think prevention is
> > always better than the cure.
> > >
> > > We have our own trainers too but we either use them if the LEA 
> > > requests us to carry out the job or there are no other training 
> > > providers nearby. We previously found that pressuring
> > students towards
> > > getting the training confused some of them as they had been
> > contacted
> > > and trained by other trainers we hence had ended up 
> duplicating the 
> > > job which meant we could not be paid for the training sessions. I 
> > > think it is safer for us to let the LEAs place the order 
> with us to 
> > > avoid such situation as well as not stepping on other 
> people's toes.
> > >
> > > At the moment we operate a system of providing 
> information to some 
> > > training providers on the delivery of the equipment to the
> > students so
> > > that the training can be carried out at the earliest 
> opportunity. I 
> > > think the longer the student has the equipment without 
> the training 
> > > the less likely it becomes for them to take the recommended
> > training.  
> > > If you are interested in receiving this information for
> > your students please let me know.
> > >
> > >
> > > Best wishes
> > >
> > > Nasser Siabi
> > > Managing Director
> > > Microlink PC (UK) Ltd
> > > Direct: 02380 240 316
> > > Mobile: 07870603128
> > >
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> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their 
> support staff.
> > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of alex larg
> > > Sent: 27 March 2007 01:47
> > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > Subject: FW: training
> > >
> > > Hi Emma,
> > >
> > > I am a freelance trainer, an assessor, a former disability
> > officer and
> > > a campaigner and so have an interest in your comments.
> > >
> > > I aim to offer a person-centred approach to the clients' training 
> > > sessions that I deliver and I don't feel that I need to
> > know anything
> > > about a person before I train them. I feel that this
> > advance knowledge
> > > can lead to people having certain preconceptions which
> > isn't healthy
> > > and can lead to laziness and complacency.
> > >
> > > I train in most software strategies, with the exception of
> > JAWS as I
> > > am not a user myself and don't currently have the time to
> > develop my
> > > knowledge of that complex program. I probably don't know 
> everything 
> > > about every program, but  I know how to find out quickly. I learn 
> > > something new everyday from the questions I am asked by
> > clients - this
> > > may sound like I don't know much, but there is a lot of
> > truth to the
> > > saying - the more you know the more you realize you don't know. I 
> > > won't know anything soon :-)
> > >
> > > I also know what programs should do and so can reassure
> > clients when
> > > programs don't do what they should that it is not they 
> (the client) 
> > > who are doing something wrong.  This situation can be
> > intimidating and
> > > off putting for users. Again I feel this is exacerbated by
> > underspecified machines.
> > > Another thing I keep going on about on one list or another.
> > >
> > > Wherever possible I would try to relate training to the 
> work that a 
> > > student has on the go. Where this is not possible the
> > training might
> > > be aimed at creating an individualised user manual for 
> the user as 
> > > they know how they learn and how they will best remember. Visual, 
> > > textual and/or aural/oral as required. They may not know 
> they know 
> > > this, but I aim to help them to realize this or at least begin to 
> > > consider this and then suggest they carry this philosophy
> > through to other pieces of work.
> > > I use plain English - non jargon - but using targeted essential 
> > > language which is used within computer systems - widely used 
> > > vocabulary necessary to function and interact. I will
> > patiently repeat
> > > this language and any points, if so required, until the client is 
> > > comfortable and has grasped the necessary information.
> > >
> > > I also don't have a set way of doing things as everyone is
> > different
> > > and in my opinion good training has a solid framework basis, but 
> > > requires flexibility to wrap around the clients' own
> > learning styles.
> > >
> > > I work all around the country. Please contact me off list for any 
> > > further information. I would also be interested in the 
> names of the 
> > > three universities you mention, off list.
> > >
> > > Best wishes,
> > >
> > > Alex
> > >
> > > Alex Larg
> > >
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > > 07931 561 877 or 07916 175 077
> > > Freelance Assistive Technology Trainer Freelance study
> > needs assessor
> > > Former Disability Officer
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ------ Forwarded Message
> > > From: Emma Wright <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Reply-To: "Discussion list for disabled students and their
> > support staff."
> > > <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Date: Mon, 26 Mar 2007 18:51:12 +0100
> > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > Subject: Re: training
> > >
> > > I keep hearing all this about training, but I've never 
> been offered 
> > > any!  Nor have any of the students I've interviewed as part of my 
> > > research across (so far) three universities.  What sort 
> of training 
> > > for what sort of software tends to be offered?
> > >
> > > Emma
> > >
> > > On 26/03/07, George Bell <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > > > Might I perhaps suggest that people take a serious look at 
> > > > http://www.bcab.org.uk/training.html
> > > >
> > > > This is an initiative taken by the British Computer
> > Association of
> > > > the Blind (BCAB) in response to complaints about poor
> > standards of
> > > > training in the use of I.T.
> > > > equipment.
> > > >
> > > > Many organisations, including the Department of Employment for 
> > > > example, are now insisting that contracted trainers are
> > BTCS (BCAB
> > > > Trainer Certification Scheme) approved.
> > > >
> > > > Food for thought?
> > > >
> > > > George Bell.
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: Discussion list for disabled students and their
> > support staff. 
> > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Austen
> > > > Sent: 26 March 2007 13:51
> > > > To: [log in to unmask]
> > > > Subject: training
> > > >
> > > > Posted without comment
> > > > extract from the 'form' letter sent out to students
> > regarding their
> > > > DSA provision. This is from a local LEA
> > > >   ( I do not think it is appropriate  to name which one).
> > > >
> > > >   "Recently, some students have informed us that they felt 
> > > > pressurized into accepting training provided by their 
> University.
> > > >   Please  note that the LEA only uses training 
> companies who are 
> > > > thoroughly reliable and have many years' experience.with
> > equipment
> > > > training for disabled students.
> > > >   If you feel that you have been treated unfairly by any
> > individual
> > > > or by a professional body, please contact us immediately
> > and we will
> > > > ensure appropriate action is taken".
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > Emma Jane Wright
> > > School of Sociology and Social Policy University of Nottingham
> > >
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > > www.accessingmaterials.org.uk
> > >
> > >
> > > ------ End of Forwarded Message
> > >
> > > Sent using the Microsoft Entourage 2004 for Mac Test Drive.
> > >
> > 
> > 
> > --
> > Emma Jane Wright
> > School of Sociology and Social Policy
> > University of Nottingham
> > 
> > [log in to unmask]
> > 
> > www.accessingmaterials.org.uk
> > 
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