Hello Peter,
We need to formulate our question in a way that is consistent with DSA remit
and so is viable for SFE, as well as Course Tutors to construct a
well-reasoned opinion.
Something like: Would a student be disadvantaged by virtue of their
disability if they did not have access to a MAC or particular specification
of PC (in some cases)?
I have obtained a change of position from SFE for a student who was on a MAC
based course, and where the tutor's position was not crisp enough to enable
SFE to justify funding for the MAC.
The point has been that if the teaching assumed in terms of a MAC based
context, a student would have to be translating instructions between MAC and
PC in order to keep pace with their peers. This is not reasonable. MAC and
PC may be, in principle, interchangeable for 'techies', but this is not the
case for most of the students that we work with, often by virtue of their
condition - any of the conditions affecting cognitive elements (memory,
attention, processing speed, etc etc) would imply delays in processing and
translating information between differing contexts. The physical conditions
where physical fatigue is an issue would also have implications, where the
student is not a MAC/PC friendly user, the effort would have cumulative
effects of delay on someone who is contending with various other logistical
obstacles as well, by virtue of their condition.
Kind regards,
Penny
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Robin Hodges
Sent: 04 September 2014 11:02
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Mac-based courses
Hi Peter,
This is my problem with this policy - SFE have *never defined* what a
'solely Mac based course' actually is, and in the sense of producing written
coursework, there is no such thing.
It seems to be left to interpretation. My personal interpretation is that if
a student has to use a Mac to access course-related software, then the
course is Mac based.
Regards,
Robin Hodges
DSA Assessor
-----Original Message-----
From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Hill
Sent: 04 September 2014 08:45
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Mac-based courses
Hi
Can someone point me towards an SFE definition of a Mac-based course?
Responses by course leaders about this can be a little woolly.
Any advice welcomed.
Regards
Peter
--
Peter Hill
Needs Assessor
[log in to unmask]
Tel: 01299 878747
Mobile: 07751 792711
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