Many thanks for your help on this matter - much appreciated!

Thanks Sophie

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Katya Hosking
Sent: 09 July 2008 15:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Advice please!

Couldn't the other students have chairs so they could all sit down around the lowered table?  

I can't imagine that the other students have a 'relevant interest' in standing (see post-16 Code of
Practice, 5.56 & 5.57) - in fact, there might be other students who would find the option of sitting
useful...

Katya

>>> Caroline Davies <[log in to unmask]> 09/07/2008 14:42:18 >>>
If a height adjustable wheelchair was found to be suitable for her than may 
be she could get it from the DSA (if it did not exceed the maximum 
allowance). After all it would be a piece of equipment that was specifically 
related to enabling her to study on her course - she would not need it if 
she was not doing the particular course.    Back in the 'old days' I used 
this argument successfully and managed to persuade a London LEA to pay for a 
wheelchair that allowed a student to stand up in it so that he could reach 
the highest shelves in a law library unaided, rather than using a support 
worker.  I wonder if this sort of argument would still work - maybe worth a 
try!

best wishes,

Caroline Davies

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Pauline McInnes" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2008 2:10 PM
Subject: Re: Advice please!


Dear Sophie,
The only thing I can think of relates back to a height adjustable wheelchair 
so that the student could raise their height and see over the edge of the 
table.  I have seen them but only in NZ and they were expensive.  The ones I 
saw definitely allowed a student to see over the top of a workbench or table 
though.

However, how you are going to fund something like that is another matter. 
If you can find something the Snowdon Award may help towards the cost.

Regards
Pauline

-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff. 
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sophie
Sent: 09 July 2008 12:11
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: Advice please!

Dear Colleagues,

I would be grateful for your advice.

I have a student who has applied to study Biomedical Sciences and is a wheel 
chair user (manual). She is able to stand, however her diagnosed condition 
means that she passes out when she does get up. A large proportion of the 
course she intends to study involves dissecting either full bodies or 
selected organs.  When she is required to dissect a full body, it will be 
placed upon a special metal table,  which is too high for this student to 
see over. The department has stated that she will need to have a 'bird's eye 
view' of the body in order to be able to dissect.

 Suggestions have been made to lower the table, however students will work 
in groups when dissecting and therefore this is not an option as the others 
will have to stoop to work, putting them at a disadvantage. The other option 
was to purchase some kind of chair which would lift the student up and she 
could look over- however the department have argued that this will still not 
give the student a direct view. Other options which have been discussed have 
been to use a camera or mirrors above the body, but I am not convinced by 
this solution and I think it would make it even harder for the student to 
see what they are doing as they are not looking directly at the body. This 
student has had support workers in the past to enable her to complete 
practical work however, an academic learning outcome is that the student 
must actually do the dissection themselves.

I would be grateful if anyone could give me some advice on this situation.

Thanks
Sophie

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