Disabled Student Subforum

Help and support on the issues that affect disabled students, including accessibility and financial support.

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  • View Poll Results: Would you like a Disabled Students Subforum?
    Yes
    53 61.63%
    No
    33 38.37%

  1. Nefarious's Avatar
    • TSR Legend
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by Ethereal)
    I'm quite sure the arguments you raise against this could be applied to a number of sub-forums.
    Certainly but these sub forums were produced in response to demand.

    I'll also raise the issue that I mentioned in the other thread; Such a sub forum would be a magnet to trolls.
  2. A Y A Z's Avatar
    • TSR Legend
    • Location: Dubai
    • Posts: 14,537
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    I don't see the point.
  3. Ethereal's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • TSR Legend
    • Location: Twilight where the worlds collide
    • Posts: 13,853
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by Nefarious)
    Certainly but these sub forums were produced in response to demand.
    As would this be. There are a large number of disabled students.

    I'll also raise the issue that I mentioned in the other thread; Such a sub forum would be a magnet to trolls.
    They'll be dealt with as they would be in other sub-forums. It's what the post report is for.
  4. samba's Avatar
    • TSR Idol
    • Location: UK
    • Posts: 7,886
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    If a university made the argument that there isnt enough disabled students to justify a disabled student support worker they would be in big big trouble.

    Obviously disabled people aren't going to post and come here if there isn't the obvious facility for it.
  5. Ethereal's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • TSR Legend
    • Location: Twilight where the worlds collide
    • Posts: 13,853
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by [ A Y A Z ])
    I don't see the point.
    Are the issues relevent to you?
  6. Nefarious's Avatar
    • TSR Legend
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by Ethereal)
    As would this be. There are a large number of disabled students.
    Yet they don't raise issues specifically pertaining to this issue on TSR, hence there is not the demand for the forum. (As far as I can see anyway)

    (I haven't voted no BTW nor am I against such a forum, however I think those who are voting yes are voting on principle not on practicality, besides TSR is not a democracy)
  7. Ethereal's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • TSR Legend
    • Location: Twilight where the worlds collide
    • Posts: 13,853
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by Nefarious)
    Yet they don't raise issues specifically pertaining to this issue on TSR, hence there is not the demand for the forum. (As far as I can see anyway)

    (I haven't voted no BTW nor am I against such a forum, however I think those who are voting yes are voting on principle not on practicality, besides TSR is not a democracy)
    The lack of access is part of the problem. Often people with disabilities struggle when faced with information overload. They won't be aware there are places for them to post unless it is obvious. They won't want to trawl through all the forums trying to find individual threads, and lets face it the search function on TSR is *******s.

    Having an obvious, defined sub-forum would increase accessability.
  8. prXXX344d's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Eastbourne, UK
    • Posts: 3,293
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    Why draw attention to their disability, maybe they want to be accepted as regular students, and segregating them into their own zone isn't going to help with integration. You alerady have a society, what else do you need a forum for?
  9. RK's Avatar
    • TSR Community Team
    • Resistance is futile
    • Location: Brighton
    • Posts: 23,806
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by Ron)
    Why draw attention to their disability, maybe they want to be accepted as regular students, and segregating them into their own zone isn't going to help with integration. You alerady have a society, what else do you need a forum for?
    Maybe you misunerstand what the forum would be for. It would be like saying: 'you are a disabled student. Here is a forum for you. Now go post in there and stay out of the rest of the forum'.

    That would down right patronsing, isolating and discriminating.

    What it could be made into is a place where assistance for disabled people could be found. People could discuss their situations with other like them. Fin out relevant information which could help them with their studying, uni choice, Gap year plans, everyday life, special help they could be entitled to. Stuff which can easily get lost in the main forum, but is very relevent to a fair number of members on here.

    It woul bring it all together. To encourage others to seek help. To allow disable people to see how others have manage to cope. To be informative and supportive.
  10. fairy spangles's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Somewhere between time space death and reality!!
    • Posts: 2,891
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    You know what i have been reading some of these posts and people who know me on here know im not one to mince my words. So here we go................

    A disabled sub forum wouldnt be a way of segregating or seperating people - its about support. Would i have the guts or would it be adventageous to ask about stuff related to the DDA on my regular uni/subject page - the answer is no. Would i actually get an answer which is appropriate for me if someone who knows the answer only posts and looks at a different uni/subject forum? The answer quite clearly to this is no. It only makes sence to make a sub forum so people can ask questions and seek reassurance from people who have been in the same situations.

    I have had to take a gap year for a number of personal reasons and y'know what it would be excellent for me to speak to someone who had been in the same situation. Im petrified of going back to uni and im really not sure what help is out there for me. Would just be good to know im, not alone sometimes!!

  11. fairy spangles's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Somewhere between time space death and reality!!
    • Posts: 2,891
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    Oh and what do you class as disability? Surely something that effects someones day to day life not just their ability to do something in comparason to someone else. I have something that effects my day to day life, something which can be very distressing and upsetting but i DONOT class myself as having a disability.

    Ive never had dyslexia which was brought up in an earlier post but you ask someone if they would like to chat to someone in the same situation ask them if it effects there day to day life so therefore is it a disability? Or get some support cause at 18 uni is a big step throw in another factor and you can imagen how much harder that can make things!!
    Last edited by fairy spangles; 18-02-2007 at 17:32.
  12. wackysparkle's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • TSR Idol
    • Location: Sheffz
    • Posts: 9,883
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    you are not segragating people by creating a sub-forum, you are just creating awareness, and surely if it were to be placed in the H&R dept or something, the poster can remain anonymous if they wanted to?
    Also, TSR is supposed to be a support system, and by having this sub-forum we are not saying that disabled people should post here alone, they are welcome to post here if they wish to.
    This would help users in the long run.
  13. Melancholy's Avatar
    • TSR Judge, Gentleman and Former Mod
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    I'm not convinced, but I'll vote yes. The idea won't make much difference anyway, realistically speaking.
  14. wackysparkle's Avatar
    • PS Helper
    • TSR Idol
    • Location: Sheffz
    • Posts: 9,883
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    care to elaborate?

    you can't just vote yes for no apparent reason
  15. Craghyrax's Avatar
    • Section Moderator
    • PS Helper
    • Bluestocking Mod
    • Location: The Isle of Ely
    • Posts: 45,373
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by samba)
    If a university made the argument that there isnt enough disabled students to justify a disabled student support worker they would be in big big trouble.

    Obviously disabled people aren't going to post and come here if there isn't the obvious facility for it.
    Exactly!
  16. Acaila's Avatar
    • TSR Royalty
    • Location: Edinburgh
    • Posts: 24,866
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    Have to disagree with that. Are you saying that disabled people are only going to post in disabled specific areas? That they wouldn't want to post like anybody else about music, politics or rep?!
  17. samba's Avatar
    • TSR Idol
    • Location: UK
    • Posts: 7,886
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by Acaila)
    Have to disagree with that. Are you saying that disabled people are only going to post in disabled specific areas? That they wouldn't want to post like anybody else about music, politics or rep?!
    No, I'm saying that disabled people wont discuss things relevant to their disability re university/education in a general forum, and a specific one would be beneficial to them.

    AMY, MY ****ING SISTER WANTS ME TO TAKE HER TO THE BEAR FACTORY AND BUY HER A BEAR :/
  18. Craghyrax's Avatar
    • Section Moderator
    • PS Helper
    • Bluestocking Mod
    • Location: The Isle of Ely
    • Posts: 45,373
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (Original post by samba)
    AMY, MY ****ING SISTER WANTS ME TO TAKE HER TO THE BEAR FACTORY AND BUY HER A BEAR :/
    :confused: !?!
  19. samba's Avatar
    • TSR Idol
    • Location: UK
    • Posts: 7,886
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    (sorry, that last sentence was for acaila :p:)
  20. Acaila's Avatar
    • TSR Royalty
    • Location: Edinburgh
    • Posts: 24,866
    Re: Disabled Student Subforum
    Good for your sister. Now don't talk in caps.

    And I respectfully disagree.
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