Post on 13-Mar-2018
students
Guide for disabled students
2 fdf guide
Contents
Guide for disabled students 3
Find out as much as possible before you start your course 4
Apply for Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) 5
Taking responsibility 6
Peer support 8
Access to work 9
Case study 1: Alexander 10
Case study 2: Mark 11
Case study 3: Tracy
Appendix 1: 13 Sources of information for students
Appendix 2: 14 Organisations providing support for disabled students
Appendix 3: 16 Websites providing support information for disabled students
3GUIDE for disabled students
GUIDE for disabled students
This is intended as a guide for disabled students thinking about doing a Foundation
degree (Fd). It is also relevant to students who may not consider themselves to be
disabled e.g. may have conditions such as dyslexia (as they may be considered to be
disabled under the DDA legislation). The key issues listed here arose from interviews
undertaken in fdf research Inclusion by degrees, experiences of disabled students on
Foundation degrees, June 2008. They relate to:
• Findingout
• ApplyingforDisabledStudentsAllowance(DSA)early
• Takingresponsibility
• Peersupport
• AccesstoWork
Reference
1 Web reference for research http://www.fdf.ac.uk/home/information_for_universities_and_colleges/research_commissioned_by_fdf/
4 fdf guide
Most interviewees mentioned the importance of doing research before applying
for courses. Ask friends, colleagues, workmates, teachers and tutors and search the
Internet. There is a great deal of information out there; the challenge is to find what
is right for you, so start early.
‘there is plenty of stuff going on, you don’t realise how much… is available. The problem is accessing the information’ (Student)
This list will provide a good starting point.
• Find out about the course you are interested in and which colleges or
universities offer the course you would like.
• Find out what kind of support for disabled students is available at the
college or university.
• Visitthecollegeoruniversityandtalktootherstudentsaboutthecourse
and the tutors – go to an open day.
• Contactthecollegeoruniversityandmakethemawareofyourneedsand
the type of support you require; ask to meet the Disability Advisor, they
will be able to help you.
• Know your rights; look at what the law says about discrimination (the
Disability Discrimination Act, 1995).
• Find out about the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) and consider
whether you will be eligible for help.
• Understandwhatyouneedtodotoaccesshelpandsupport.
Find out as much as possible before you start your course
5GUIDE for disabled students
Apply for Disabled Students Allowance
(DSA) early
From 2009 all new applications will be managed by Student Finance England which
will mean there is just one point of contact for your student loan and your DSA.
The applications of people applying for the first time will remain with the Local
Authority. It will also be possible to apply for your DSA one year before your course
starts which should give enough time to sort out any problems.
• ApplyfortheDSAasearlyaspossible–beorganised,thismeansayear
in advance. If you apply for a student loan there will be a question about
whether or not you have a disability. If you declare it here, it should kick
start the DSA process.
• IfyouarenotsureifyouareentitledtotheDSAtalktotheDisabilityAdvisor
at your College or university about it or Student Finance England.
• Find out more about the DSA at http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Disabled
People/EducationAndTraining/HigherEducation/DG_10034898
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Taking responsibilityOne student said...
“Don’t only rely on others – take responsibility for finding out about what you need”.
Havetheconfidencetoaskforhelpbutmakesureyouareinthedrivingseat.
• Donotbeafraidofdisclosingyourdisabilityatthecollegeoruniversity.
It will mean you can receive the assistance you are entitled to during
yourstudies.LookattheSKILLinformationleafletDisclosing your disability
for more information and guidance http://www.skill.org.uk/uploads/
disclosure.doc
• Disclosureofyourdisabilityisparticularlyimportantwithemployerstoo–
they will be looking for people who are enthusiastic and positive so when
it comes to work-placements (and later applications for work) concentrate
on your achievements and skills and be aware what adjustments you may
need. Try to anticipate employers’ concerns and be ready to address them.
• Bepro-active.Ifyoufeelit’sappropriateandyouarecomfortabledoingit,
talk to your fellow students about living with an impairment. You will be
surprised how supportive they are once they understand.
• Makesureyourworkplacementemployerisawareofyourneedsbefore
you arrive - the Disability Advisor or your tutor should help with this.
7GUIDE for disabled students
• Donotbeafraidtoaskforhelpifcollegesoruniversitiesarenotdelivering
the adjustments they promised. First of all contact the Disability Advisor
but don’t struggle on your own; if you don’t feel you are getting the right
support from your College or university, contact Skill or post a question on
adiscussiongroupliketheBBC’sOUCH.
• Leteveryoneknowyourpreferredwayofreceivingcommunications.Read
them carefully. They may contain instructions and if they do follow them.
• Ifthecommunicationasksyoutoorderequipmentandyouarenotconfident
enough or sure what to do ask the Assessment Centre, they should order it
for you.
• Ifyouarenotsureaboutanycommunicationaskforclarificationfromthe
person who sent it or from the Disability Advisor at your College or university.
• If you are told not to open the boxes your Assistive Technology (AT)
equipment is delivered in – don’t. You are being told this for a reason. It’s
understandable that you will be excited when a parcel arrives but if you
open it when you have been told to wait for the trainer to do it, and then,
whens/hearrivespartsaremissing,itwillonlycausedelays.Bepatient.
• Don’tassumethatoncetheequipmenthasbeendeliveredthat’stheend
of the story. The DSA is ongoing. AT equipment needs upgrades as new
software comes out so you must be responsible for going back to the
Assessment Centre or Student Finance England to ask for upgrades. You
may be entitled to them but they don’t happen by magic.
• Takeupanyoffersoftraining.Whenyouareofferedtrainingtakeupthe
offer, you do not know what you do not know. You will be surprised how
much you learn. It isn’t on offer as an optional extra. It is to make sure you
really get the best out of your AT to capitalise on your education.
• ContacttheAssessmentCentreifthingsgowrongwithATprovision.They
have a lot of clout, and as they do not want to use providers who give poor
service, they really want to know and they can help!
8 fdf guide
Peer support
There is very little evidence to confirm that role models are a really effective means
of support but instinctively we know we gain confidence from knowing someone
who has already been through the same thing as us. It’s simply reassuring to speak
to others who have been through it.
Some people are actually being path-finders at the moment as it’s early days for some
organisationstoincludedisabledprofessionalsintheirworkforce.Butastimegoes
on the numbers of disabled professionals will increase and therefore the availability
of disabled professionals to offer mentoring or peer support can only get better.
The Internet has made the current quest for peer support much easier. Internet
magazine sites and blogs are a good place to see personal stories and find people
studying the same subjects as you or already working in the roles you aspire to.
• Itwillhelptotalk to another disabled person during the course as they
can tell you about any potential pitfalls or any particular things they found
helpful.
• Itwillalsohelpwhenyouarethinkingaboutemploymentorevensetting
up in business.
• BBCOUCHwebsite,previousalumni,studentsfurtheronintrainingand
student networks can be rich sources of support.
• TalktotheDisabilityAdvisoraboutfindingsomepeersupport.
9GUIDE for disabled students
Access to Work
• Become informed about how Access to Work can give you and your
employer advice and support with the extra costs which may arise because
of your needs.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/Employmentsupport/
• Helpemployer/stounderstandthattheytoocanreceivefinancialsupport
via the Access to Work Scheme at Jobcentres to make any necessary
adjustments you may need to enable you to do the work.
“Give it a go and be brave. Work at it and campaign for support. You never know! You need to be determined and work at your confidence and ability...”Student
10 fdf guide
Case study 1
Alexander
Alexander was born deaf and attended residential school for deaf people where he
gained“A”levelsinPhotographyandGraphicsandaBTECinBusinessStudies.Heis
currently studying for a Foundation Degree in Photography and really enjoying it.
‘…I was born deaf. I have one hearing aid and a cochlear implant. I had it done four
years ago and it changed my life. Before I had never heard birds singing, cats meowing
or telephones ringing!’
HereceivestheDSAandhasalearningsupportworkerwhotakesnotesforhimas
his tutor thought it best because she is Swedish and she was worried he wouldn’t
beabletocopewithheraccent.Heisnotsureyetwhathewantstodowhenhe
completesthecourse.Hechosethecoursebecauseiffeltlikeanaturalprogression
having achieved his Photography and Graphics “A” levels but he chose the college
because he wanted make friends in his local community, having been away at a
specialist residential school for most of his schooling, he had never had any long
periods with “hearing people.”
Hefoundthefirstfewmonthsdifficultashehadtoaskpeopletospeakmoreslowly
and more clearly but after a while things settled. Following a field trip to Amsterdam
where everyone was interacting in a more relaxed environment he was able to make
friends with the one student who he was having difficulty in communicating with.
Alexander’s tutor says she is much more aware of having to face Alex when she is
talking and she is also aware of where the other students are in relation to Alex. She
also give out notes – “not just for him – it benefits all the students but I try to reinforce everything I teach in two or three different ways to make sure it is understood.”
11GUIDE for disabled students
Case study 2
Mark
Markisinhisearly40’sandhashadavisualimpairmentsincebirth.Heattended
a special school until he was 12, and then transferred to a mainstream secondary
school, which he says was not a great success.
Hehashada rangeofdifferent jobsandstudied foraBTEC inLeisureStudiesat
College inhisearly thirties.Hehasbeenworking asa Rehabilitation Officer for a
number of years.
Mark is in the second year of his Foundation degree in Health & Social Care.The
degree was designed by his employer, initially for its own workforce of people
working in the field of visual impairment rehabilitation but the students now come
fromfarandwide.Hehasenjoyeddoingthecoursealthoughhesaysitisveryhard
tocombineworkandstudy.Hehasexperiencednonegativeattitudeswithinthe
workplace or the university.
Mark works within the voluntary sector and his employing organisation has an
excellent working relationship with its local Access to Work team. Together they
regularly provide specialist assistive technology for people with visual impairments.
Mark isahighachievingstudentwhois likelytogoontodoanHonoursdegree
particularly if some new modules directly related to his work that are currently in the
planningstagescometofruition.Hefeelsgoodinformationfrompeoplehetrusted
like his line manager and friends; the role of the course co-ordinator visiting him in
his work-place and clear information on the providers website were the key success
factors in giving him the support he needed to undertake his Foundation degree.
12 fdf guide
Case study 3
Tracy
Tracy is a busy working mother who has had a visual impairment from birth. She left
aVisualImpairmentUnitinamainstreamsecondaryschoolwithoneCSEinEnglish
and a certificate in typewriting in 1969. She studied ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels at night school as
a mature student.
BeforestartingherFoundationdegreeinHealth&SocialCare,Tracywasworkingas
aHealthCareSupportWorker(band2)inageneralhospital.SheisnowanAssistant
Practitioner (band 4) working on a rehabilitation ward and enjoying the additional
responsibility.
Tracy had some initial difficulty with her course work but took the initiative to talk
to the tutors about what she would find helpful such as standard A4 documents in
14 or 16 point print. She also asked for documents that were being handed out to all
students to be read out to the class beforehand. The whole class found this helpful.
Initially Tracy had lacked the confidence to apply for a Foundation degree. When one
of her friends brought an advertisement was posted on the staff notice board to her
attention the belief her friends and colleagues had in her gave her the push to apply.
Having started the course, the process of identifying some of the tasks thatTracy
would need to undertake e.g. taking an ECG was challenging. At times this made her
confront some of her deep-rooted feelings about her own impairment but with the
help of a supportive mentor she sailed through the rest of the course.
When she qualified, her line manager contacted the Access to Work Scheme and
following an assessment, Tracy was provided with some Assistive Technology. She felt
awkward about this due to her independent spirit but now recognises it makes her
job easier. It does take her longer than her colleagues to write her notes – she stays
on for an extra half an hour but she is happy to do this. She feels that learning to use
new technology is particularly challenging to those who are no longer young!
13GUIDE for disabled students
Appendix 1
Sources of information for students
Reading material
SKILLinformationleaflets,suchasApplying to Higher education
http://www.skill.org.uk/uploads/he_apply.doc
Aimhigher Essex with Essex, Southend and Thurrock Connections, 2007.
Aim High – You can do it
http://www.aimhigher.ac.uk
UniversityofHull,June2005.
Best practice guide: disabled social work students and placements
www.hull.ac.uk.pedds
DIUS,February2008.
Bridging the Gap: A guide to the Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs) in
Higher Education 2008/9
www.direct.gov.uk
RADAR,2008.
Doing work differently: Getting and keeping a job while managing ill-health,
injury or disability
http://www.radar.org.uk/radarwebsite
Aimhigher, March 2008.
Thinking about higher education?
Tips for students with dyslexia, mental health difficulties and Asperger’s Syndrome.
www.aimhighereastofengland.org.uk and
www.impact-associates.co.uk/publications.html
14 fdf guide
AnumberofspecialistdisabilityorganisationssuchasRNIBarenotlistedbecause
people with long-standing conditions will already know about them. The organisations
listed here will help people who may have received a diagnosis recently and are new
to learning about the kind of support available.
Appendix 2
Organisations providing support for
disabled students
Support available Contact details
British Dyslexia Association 98LondonRoadAsupportorganisationthataims Reading toenableallpeoplewithdyslexia RG15AU to reach their potential Tel: 0118 966 8271 www.bdyslexia.org.uk
Directgov www.direct.gov.uk Contact for advice about the: ~ Disabled Students Allowance) ~ Public Services
EHRC Helpline(England)(Equality & Human Rights Commission) FREEPOSTMID02164Information and advice on rights Stratford upon Avonand discrimination - (took over from the CV379BRDisability Rights Commission DRC) Tel: 08457 622 644
www.equalityhumanrights.com
15GUIDE for disabled students
Support available Contact details
Mind 15-19Broadway(National Association for Mental Health) LondonProvidesadviceaboutmentalhealthissues E154BQ Tel: 0208 519 2122 www.mind.org.uk
National Centre for Work Experience ProspectsHousePromotesandsupportsquality BoothStreet work experience Manchester M13 9EP Tel: 0161 277 5200 Email: ncwe@ncew.com
National Union of Students (NUS) 2nd Floor Advice and support for all students Centro 3 19 Mandela Street London NW10DU Tel: 0871 221 8221 www.nusonline.co.uk
Skill: National Bureau for Students Unit3,Floor3,RadissonCourt,with Disabilities 219 Long LaneA national independent charity that London promotesopportunitiesforpeoplein SE14PR learning and entry to employment and Tel: 020 7450 0620produces helpful information sheets. Fax: 020 7450 0650 Email: skill@skill.org.uk www.skill.org.uk
16 fdf guide
Appendix 3
Websites providing support information for
disabled studentsOrganisation Website
Arberry Profile www.arberryprofile.co.uk/
Written by students for students and magazine
features issues at the heart of disability
and employment.
Association of Disabled Professionals www.adp.org.uk
Support for employment advice,
informationand/orpeersupportfor
disabled professionals.
Breakthrough UK www.breakthrough-uk.com/
Supports disabled people to play a full, socialmodels.html
economically active role in society.
(The website provides information, toolkits etc)
Connexions www.connexions-direct.com
Information and advice for young people.
Disabled Entrepreneurs Network (DEN) www.disabled-entrepreneurs.net
Provides networking opportunities and
information services for self-employed
disabled people.
17GUIDE for disabled students
Organisation Website
Dis-Forum www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/
An email discussion list for disabled students dis-forum.html
and disability support staff.
Employ-Ability www.employ-ability.org.uk
A not-for-profit organisation dedicated to
assisting people with all disabilities into
employment.
Enham www.enham.co.uk
Support for disabled people to get into
employment.
GET www.get.hobsons.co.uk
Graduate career advice.
GIEU www.gieu.co.uk
GraduatesintoEmploymentUnit–Windmill
ProgrammeUniversityofLiverpool
Moving On Up www.movingonup.info
Support for young people from ethnic
minority communities.
Jobcentre Plus www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk/
Helpspeoplefindwork.Findlocalofficeon JCP/Aboutus/Ouroffices/
their website index.html
18 fdf guide
Organisation Website
Opportunities www.opportunities.org.uk
Creating routes into employment for people
with all disabilities
OUCH www.bbc.co.uk/ouch
Disability Magazine
Papworth Trust www.papworth.org.uk
Support for disabled people to get into
employment
GET www.get.hobsons.co.uk
Graduate career advice
GIEU www.gieu.co.uk
GraduatesintoEmploymentUnit–Windwill
ProgrammeUniversityofLiverpool
Moving On Up www.movingonup.info
Support for young people from ethnic
minority communities.
Prince’s Trust www.princes-trust.org.uk
Enabling young people to move into work,
education or training
Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk
Employment of disabled people -
informationandpublications.UK’sofficial
graduate careers support service
19GUIDE for disabled students
Organisation Website
Shaw Trust www.shaw-trust.org.uk
Supporttofind/stayinemployment
Skill: National Bureau for www.skill.org.uk
Disabled Students
Information and support including:
- Finding - further education - Funding - higher education - Assistive Technology: sources of help and information
Student Finance England www.studentfinanceengland.co.uk
Information about student loans
Toolkits for success www.disabilitytoolkits.ac.uk/
Helpfordisabledstudentstomanage employers/
off-campus learning
Trade Union Disability Alliance www.tuda.org.uk
An organisation of Disabled Trade
UnionMemberswhichaimsto
promote understanding of disability
as an equalities issues
University of Westminster’s website www.wmin.ac.uk/page-1964
Top tips for students with disabilities
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