Irlens, APD and DSA

Im awaiting my DSA assesment and wondering if anyone else has had one and recieved support for Irlens or Auditory processing dificulties/disorder.

If you have, what help were they able to offer.
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Reply 1

thisisme!

I had the assessment for tinted lenses and the tintng of lenses covered, i paid for the frames and lenses.

Reply 2

Tiger Rag

I have Irlens Syndrome (amongst other things) and received an allowance for coloured paper and a piece of software. The software is on a keyring and means that I change the background of any software (whether that's Microsoft Office or a programme to access the internet) without doing anything to the computer itself.

Reply 3

Ella2b

Ihad my assesment today and.i think it went really well :smile:

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Reply 4

dipka

Original post by OU Student

Just curious. Whats the softwear called? My college had softwear that did that on all college computers which I used for that and other things. Its not on a memory stick so I had to rely on it being on the comouter, and report if I found one without it on. Ive got the same softwear from dsa but I am assuming it will come on my laptop from them, so I wont have it on any uni computers. Having what you have on a memmory stick sounds very useful.

Also, does the allowance specifiy colored paper? My one for printing says paper for the printer, and any specilist is not allowed. My recco endations mentiond coloured paper lots but its not included in what 7s approved. I was going to ask at the uni next week when I go in to arrange all the none medical helpers, but someone's actual experience would be good.

I dont have a actual diagnosis of irlens syndrome so yes maybe its different for me than if I was diagnosed with it.

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Reply 5

Ella2b

Hey, iv been reccomended soft wear for my pc/ laptop. But i will email my assessor to ask about the whole usb thing and get back to you. I think for me it will be plain printer paper and ink in the alowance as.iv been advised to have an irlens glasses test and that it would be reccomended i get funding for tinted glasses.

Reply 6

Tiger Rag

Original post by dipka

Can't remember what the software is called, sorry.

And yes, it was specifically for coloured paper. DSA will only pay for extra costs that you have as a disabled student. Everyone requires paper; so they won't pay for white paper.

Reply 7

dipka

Original post by OU Student

Do you still have it, could you look?
Oh, so even though it just says something like 'paper suitable for your printer' that can be any coulor. There is a whole list of types I am not allowed like photo paper or brown paper or cardboard paper. So im still unsure because some of the reason I have a printer/ photo coppying is to shorten the time I need to be in the library because my disability makes that hard, so i have a need for more photocoppying. Printing i need more because i am not able to write notes, so they reccomend i get emailed the presentations and print them for in lessons. So I wondered if they approved these bits but not the coloured paper? Did it acually say coloured paper or not?

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Reply 8

NJones

Colour/ screen tinting software available: ClaroView which is part of ClaroRead, or ScreenRuler USB/ CD. There is also a Screen Mask tool built into Texthelp Read & Write. If you want a free piece of software try SSOverlay which you can google and download free.

Recently, where a student has applied to SFE for Irlen only, SFE have not been allowing students to attend and Assessment of Needs, but instead they have just allocated funding to enable them to access the lenses. In some of these cases students have not been able to get the screen masking software, or general allowance funding for coloured paper.

Reply 9

dipka

Original post by NJones

Thank you. I will do some googling of those names later. Text help is what I am reccomended. How is that given? I like the idea of something on a memory stick. As I said before I don't have irlen syndrome, but I do have coloured glasses however I find coloured paper more helpful.

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(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 10

NJones

Original post by dipka

Texthelp is available as download, DVD and USB/ mobile version. You can try a free 30 day demo.
Be careful with coloured glasses - if your vision is constantly modified with colour then that can't be healthy? Irlen glasses are actually 'spectral filters', not colours, they allow you to see a white page but it would be comfortable and easier to read.

Reply 11

Ella2b

Thankyou, I just thought as I wear glasses with a prescription anyway and my eyesight is still changing.

If I did go for the glasses I would have regular ones to wear when not using computer or in a lecture ect

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Reply 12

dipka

Original post by Ella2b

That's what I do-have 2 pairs of glasses. Yes it does get a bit annoying sometimes but the difference the colour makes means to me it is worth having to change glasses quite a lot.

Reply 13

NJones

Original post by Ella2b

Irlen filter coatings can be be put onto your prescription lenses and you would benefit from wearing them all the while to reduce the effects of brightly lit conditions. The coloured lenses from Colorimeter or Chromagen that some wear should not be worn all the time as they can affect your colour perception.

Reply 14

DyslexiaLady

Original post by dipka

That's what I do-have 2 pairs of glasses. Yes it does get a bit annoying sometimes but the difference the colour makes means to me it is worth having to change glasses quite a lot.