Yesterday was the national day for blogging about disability.
Reading blogs by disabled people is a great way to discover the issues that disabled people are talking about, campaigning about or want you to hear about - they may be things that you can help change.
A little late - a recent story.
I am studying on a Post Graduate course around equality and consultancy in the field of disability and applied for a Disabled Student Grant. Students who require assistance or equipment for example can have a substantial amount of funding to enable them to access their course on an equal basis.
I have had three such grants - without which I would not have entered higher education as I need substantial help.
However, it's good to see that money is being put to good use (I'm being sarcastic here) by:
1) Making it really difficult to access
2) Being half way through your course with no funds or specialist equipment.
3) I know what I needed - but I still had to have an assessment from someone who thought they knew me better. As a result, I got a lot of things I have no use for and they went home with a nice pay packet.
4) The cost of the assessment is deducted from your Grant!
5) The cost of someone opening a box and plugging in my new laptop was £60 - which came out of my grant. Apparently I have an MA and help at home - yet still I am deemed incapable of opening a box and attaching a power supply!
Disabled people have the right to an education yet at the same time vital money is being wasted by government assessment processes. Other people on my course have also experienced similar issues - will this 'we know what's best for you' approach ever stop?

Tags:education | access

I am currently about a month into a post graduate course as a disability practitioner/consultant and trainer. Disabled students can apply for a grant/allowance that covers disability related costs which can pose a financial barrier to education.

To get the grant you have to have an assessment and confirmation that you have an impairment e.g. GP letter etc. My consultant once again confirmed that no miracle had occurred since the last two times I had this grant to study and all that remained was the assessment.

I spent quite a few hours with an understanding person trying to make sure I was applying for all the right personal assistance and equipment I would need to complete the course on an equal footing with a none disabled person. Much emphasis was placed on how I use electronic formats e.g. e-mail and web forums for communication, notes from a laptop I also hope to get, I read journals on-line and can't write much more than a few words.

Now, due to difficulties in holding books and papers (and looking down to read the things which effects my neck) I have documents I can read on a computer screen - nothing special, just word or pdf documents sent via e-mail.

My assessor wrote all this down and what happened next.....

he sent a several page report on my access needs - in print copy only.

This is typical - and the fee for this person to write that report is deducted from my grant!!

Tags:alternative formats | disabled | education | access