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What did you get with your DSA?

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Original post by student2312
For ADHD combined type and dyslexia I got

Non medical helper-
30 hours a year with a specialist dyslexia tutor to help me with things like spelling, proof reading and study techniques. I'll probably use it for study techniques because I have never once studied for an exam so I have no idea where to even start
A few hours training to learn how to use the software I've been given
A human note taker for all my lectures, seminars and tutorials

Equipment
A laptop
A printer/scanner
A handheld spellchecker (my university done my assessment and because they specialize in teaching and all their courses include placements they recommend these for all students with dyslexia to use on placements)
Read and write gold
Mind view
Ms office
Blue overlays

Consumables
Ink/paper allowance
Photocopying allowance

And because my university completed m assessment we were also able to sort out other arrangements that isn't actually DSA such as exam arrangements, flexible hand in dates and extended library loans.

At no point was it mentioned that I would have to pay any money towards the laptop, Does this mean I will be told later or is it possible the cost only applies to England? I'm based in the north of Ireland


I think that cost only applies to SFE at the moment, hearing you have extended library loans makes me wonder if I can pester my uni for them.
Original post by claireestelle
I think that cost only applies to SFE at the moment, hearing you have extended library loans makes me wonder if I can pester my uni for them.


My uni were very good with allowances, I've got extended library loans, I can have extended deadlines on assignments, although I do have to give the lecturer a day or two's notice, I cant just show up on the day and say I don't have it, lecturers will make all lecture notes available to me online before the lectures, for exams I'll have a completely separate room with just me in it, rest breaks, extra time, a reader/scribe or a reader and use of a laptop ect

They even offered to make allowances for me if I was late to lectures, I turned it down because if i got that I know when i'm late instead of rushing to get in I'd likely just say aw well I wont get in any trouble. But the fact that they offered it actually kinda shocked me.

Before I got there the assessor had already read through my evidence, sat down with her co-coordinator and decided everything they thought would help me.
Then she went through different areas of studying, such as reading writing, note taking ect, asked what my difficulties where, for each main issue she showed me the different options of help one by one, asked if I thought it would help, then let me chose what I thought would help most.

At the end there idea of what I would get did match up really well to what they ended up recommending, bar a few things I turned down.
I have had my initial meeting with the disability support unit at uni. I have dyslexia, dyspraxia and have anxiety and depression. They have recommended I get a laptop with talk type and mind mapping software, a dictaphone, money towards printing costs, extended loans from the library, 25% extra time in exams, I can arrange extra time for assignments as long as I give enough notice and I have a good reason. I could have had money for taxis if my anxiety got bad but I declined that because I am ok on public transport. I also already have an all in one printer and scanner so don't need one of those.
Reply 43
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FN510
2
Original post by OU Student
You'd only get ink if you had something like a visual impairment and printed in big print. You won't get funding for paper unless it's coloured.


I don't have a visual impairment, but I managed to get allowance for paper and ink. I believe it is on the basis that I will be photocopying more things as I'm a slow writer
Reply 44
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FN510
2
Does anyone know how the timesheet with the assistive technology trainer and/ or the notetaker works? Also, with the notetaker, does it mean I'll have to go to all my lectures? :colondollar:
Original post by FN510
Does anyone know how the timesheet with the assistive technology trainer and/ or the notetaker works? Also, with the notetaker, does it mean I'll have to go to all my lectures? :colondollar:


Yes you still have to attend all your lectures unless there is a disability reason why you miss lectures and it has been pre-arranged that your note-taker can take notes when you aren't there. Your note taker cannot take or present you with notes for lectures you didn't attend. I got told this at my need assessment.

I haven't started uni yet (Start in September) so i'm not entirely sure but I was told my note taker will attend my lectures with me, but I don't have to sit beside them, they will take notes and email them to me later.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by FN510
Does anyone know how the timesheet with the assistive technology trainer and/ or the notetaker works? Also, with the notetaker, does it mean I'll have to go to all my lectures? :colondollar:

your trainer will use something like an ipad and they have a thing on there which you will need to sign to say you have attended. this is what happens with mine at least
Reply 47
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FN510
2
Original post by Jay018
your trainer will use something like an ipad and they have a thing on there which you will need to sign to say you have attended. this is what happens with mine at least


Oh, OK. Cheers

Original post by student2312
Yes you still have to attend all your lectures unless there is a disability reason why you miss lectures and it has been pre-arranged that your note-taker can take notes when you aren't there. Your note taker cannot take or present you with notes for lectures you didn't attend. I got told this at my need assessment.

I haven't started uni yet (Start in September) so i'm not entirely sure but I was told my note taker will attend my lectures with me, but I don't have to sit beside them, they will take notes and email them to me later.


I mean both the notaker and I missing the lecture altogether because I don't feel it would be useful etc.
(edited 8 years ago)
From DSA I get

- A laptop (although i already had one so turned it down)
- printer
- allowance for paper, ink, text books etc
- dictaphone
- microsoft office
- extended library loans
- non medical helper who i meet once a week
- they pay some of my accomadation costs, the difference between a shared flat and a studio flat.
I went for my needs assessment today, I'm not sure about the things I received. I am hearing impaired and suffer from severe tinnitus.
I am only going to be receiving a dictaphone and ink credit, not even a printer.

I expected to get a speech to text or audio notetaker but my assessor said that SFE won't allow it.

What do you think?

I applied for deafness and tinnitus.
Reply 50
Avatar for Bobbs
Bobbs
11
Original post by lizmoo0721
I went for my needs assessment today, I'm not sure about the things I received. I am hearing impaired and suffer from severe tinnitus.
I am only going to be receiving a dictaphone and ink credit, not even a printer.

I expected to get a speech to text or audio notetaker but my assessor said that SFE won't allow it.

What do you think?

I applied for deafness and tinnitus.


why do you need a printer?
Original post by Bobbs
why do you need a printer?


Excuse me?
Original post by lizmoo0721
Excuse me?


You'd only get a printer from DSA if your disability means you need one.
Original post by lizmoo0721
Excuse me?


I have to agree, only people with learning difficulties get printers, text to speech and audio note taker and all the other bits of assistive software. and considering you are hearing impaired a dictaphone is pretty much all you need. But you can pick up a canon 3550 for around £40 (which is the one i was given so you wont be shelling out a huge amount for one if you really want one.
Original post by Jay018
I have to agree, only people with learning difficulties get printers, text to speech and audio note taker and all the other bits of assistive software. and considering you are hearing impaired a dictaphone is pretty much all you need. But you can pick up a canon 3550 for around £40 (which is the one i was given so you wont be shelling out a huge amount for one if you really want one.


I don't have a learning difficulty and I get all that. I've got a physical disability and mental health problems.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Jay018
I have to agree, only people with learning difficulties get printers, text to speech and audio note taker and all the other bits of assistive software. and considering you are hearing impaired a dictaphone is pretty much all you need. But you can pick up a canon 3550 for around £40 (which is the one i was given so you wont be shelling out a huge amount for one if you really want one.


I have mental health problems and I got all that. But that was back in 2011 and I believe that they're giving out less now.
Original post by lizmoo0721
I went for my needs assessment today, I'm not sure about the things I received. I am hearing impaired and suffer from severe tinnitus.
I am only going to be receiving a dictaphone and ink credit, not even a printer.

I expected to get a speech to text or audio notetaker but my assessor said that SFE won't allow it.

What do you think?

I applied for deafness and tinnitus.


I had speech-to-text software so I could write my essays and it wouldn't help if you want to get your lectures into a script. You have to train it to your voice and it needs a totally silent background. It wouldn't cope with several different lecturers who were recorded in a noisy lecture theatre.
Original post by Jay018
I have to agree, only people with learning difficulties get printers, text to speech and audio note taker and all the other bits of assistive software. and considering you are hearing impaired a dictaphone is pretty much all you need. But you can pick up a canon 3550 for around £40 (which is the one i was given so you wont be shelling out a huge amount for one if you really want one.


I got some of things when I applied with just visual impairments.
Original post by OU Student
You'd only get a printer from DSA if your disability means you need one.


I do have a disability. I just found it strange how they're providing me with ink and paper, but not a printer? like I don't understand...
Original post by Jay018
I have to agree, only people with learning difficulties get printers, text to speech and audio note taker and all the other bits of assistive software. and considering you are hearing impaired a dictaphone is pretty much all you need. But you can pick up a canon 3550 for around £40 (which is the one i was given so you wont be shelling out a huge amount for one if you really want one.


Ok, well I got the ink and paper allowance to go with it, but not the printer allocation. I personally feel I will find it much easier to have a audio notetaker, my hearing aids are set up to focus on the closet sound to me, this isn't going to be the lecturer.
I also suffer from severe tinnitus, during my A-levels this meant serious concentration issues and sleep problems, causing me to miss lessons.

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