Disabled students allowance (DSA)

Hi, i have an assessment coming up soon and just wanted to know what i would be likey to get or should recommend to the assessor.

I have crohn's disease which is inflamation of the digestive system and its hard to eat food, involves going toilet often and when you get a flare up its hard to concentrate. Also im on very strong immunosuppressions.

Thanks.

Reply 1

maxi321

8

they tend to ask you what you have trouble doing and then sggest things. you just say yes or no.

Reply 2

kkk690

OP

maxi321

they tend to ask you what you have trouble doing and then sggest things. you just say yes or no.

How likely would I be in getting a decent laptop?

Reply 3

TempusV

How would a laptop help you with your condition? :s-smilie:

The DSA is only designed to provide reasonable accommodations for things that you find difficult specifically because of your disability. If it is something every student has to buy or would have to buy then the DSA is unlikely to fund it without a specific reason -- and SFE is cracking down hard this year on awarding laptops to students without a valid reason and are sticking tightly to the guidelines.

Reply 4

kkk690

OP

TempusV

How would a laptop help you with your condition? :s-smilie:

The DSA is only designed to provide reasonable accommodations for things that you find difficult specifically because of your disability. If it is something every student has to buy or would have to buy then the DSA is unlikely to fund it without a specific reason -- and SFE is cracking down hard this year on awarding laptops to students without a valid reason and are sticking tightly to the guidelines.

I would need a laptop as when I have flare ups I wont be able to attend lectures or leave my room in fact... so i would need some way to do work as I wont be able to go the the library.

Reply 5

maxi321

8

kkk690

How likely would I be in getting a decent laptop?

Providing you can justify your reason for needing one-fro academic purposes- more than an individual without cromes does, then you'll probabl get one.

Reply 6

JCM89

13

I agree with the above poster, to get a laptop you will have to come up with a reason why it is a necessity and not just something you'd rather like.

Most DSA assessors seem to be well trained and are good are working with you to discuss your needs and coming up with a support plan.

If you find it hard to concentrate and often have to leave lectures to go to the loo, then it may be useful for you to have a note taker to attend your lectures so that you never miss any information given and get a full set of notes at the end of each lecture. They'll probably also suggest that you can take your exams in a separate room if you want so that you can come and go to the loo without being feeling that you are disturbing others and they should offer extra time for rest breaks in the exams which usually is an extra 10 mins per hour. Additional stuff can include having a mentor on your course for support, extensions to deadlines for coursework and so on.

Reply 7

Ice_Queen

17

You may be entitled to a desktop rather than a laptop.

Like said above, the assessor will ask you questions, and just tell him/her the truth. His/her job is to decide what you need. It's not your job to recommend to him/her. You'll get what s/he thinks you need.

JCM89, rest breaks don't have a time limit as far as I know. I'm entitled to them and I take them when I want for as long as I want and it justs gets added on at the end.

(I think that may have come out harsher than I meant it; hard to convey tone online)

Reply 8

kkk690

OP

Thanks

Reply 9

JCM89

13

Ice_Queen

JCM89, rest breaks don't have a time limit as far as I know. I'm entitled to them and I take them when I want for as long as I want and it justs gets added on at the end.

They do at Manchester... . My friend gets an allowance of 10 mins per hour which can be taken at any time during the exam, so for a 3 hr exam they just give him 3.5 hrs. That may well have been specific to his case / needs though :smile:

Reply 10

TempusV

Ice_Queen

Like said above, the assessor will ask you questions, and just tell him/her the truth. His/her job is to decide what you need. It's not your job to recommend to him/her. You'll get what s/he thinks you need.

In general assessors will ask you your thoughts though; and if there is anything you want to suggest that they haven't. I found my assessor to be extremely helpful in that respect; she explained all of her reasoning and the few things I suggested she agreed with.

Regarding your specific situation: at times when you are unable to leave your room a laptop would not be appropriate -- a desktop would be in that case, as the computer does not need to be portable. In terms of lectures I'd say you've got a small chance -- though they would be more likely to suggest a notetaker or a dictaphone (or both) so that you would not miss anything either. When it comes to leaving the lecture a laptop wouldn't really help as you would still have missed that part of the lecture.

Reply 11

Titch89

14

kkk690

I wont be able to go the the library.

I have completely different problems to you, but have been given a book allowance for this and a scanner to scan books in, as reading off a monitor is easier than reading a book.

They'll probably also suggest that you can take your exams in a separate room

I'm having this when I start and it did say in my report "possibly with others, but not in main exam hall".

Reply 12

swiftuk

8

Rest breaks are condition-specific (or should be), as it depends what they're needed for.

Titch: you're lucky they've said 'possibly with others, but not in main exam hall'...it's much the best solution :wink:

I got 'must be in a separate room completely alone' for my UG, which meant cramming into a tutor's office with the invigilator a foot away at all times max, and envied the dyslexic students muchly :wink:

Reply 13

Hygeia

14

For my main written exam this year I was allowed 25% extra time to be used as breaks and had my own room for the exam (which I absolutely loved as it was nice and spacious and I could get up and move around as I needed).

Reply 14

zoe_uwe

kkk690

Hi, i have an assessment coming up soon and just wanted to know what i would be likey to get or should recommend to the assessor.

I have crohn's disease which is inflamation of the digestive system and its hard to eat food, involves going toilet often and when you get a flare up its hard to concentrate. Also im on very strong immunosuppressions.

Thanks.

Hey, i think im a step behind you in my application process. I’ve got a letter saying they are considering me but i was just wondering what web link is i need to access to book this individual assessment.

Thank you.

Reply 15

Liar

12

kkk690

Hi, i have an assessment coming up soon and just wanted to know what i would be likey to get or should recommend to the assessor.

I have crohn's disease which is inflamation of the digestive system and its hard to eat food, involves going toilet often and when you get a flare up its hard to concentrate. Also im on very strong immunosuppressions.

Thanks.

I have UC so understand the extra difficulties of studying with such a condition. I've never considered the extra help we could get such as this. I was under the impression we would only get the extra cost of an ensuite paid for us. I have a laptop so it's not a concern for me but i can see that some days you won't be able to leave your room and you certainly will not be able to concentrate in a computer room for long enough to write a decent essay so it's possible they may see this as a valid reason to give you a computer.

You'll just have to enquire and see what they suggest.

Reply 16

Titch89

14

swiftuk

Titch: you're lucky they've said 'possibly with others, but not in main exam hall'...it's much the best solution :wink:

I agree. I had this last year and was fine with it. Would've preferred to have exams with everyone else, but I couldn't have all the lights on and would disturb anyone because I have to walk around during exams. (I get stiff and very sore if I don't)

Reply 17

swiftuk

8

Hygeia

For my main written exam this year I was allowed 25% extra time to be used as breaks and had my own room for the exam (which I absolutely loved as it was nice and spacious and I could get up and move around as I needed).

That's nice. I remember feeling like a twit in all my anatomy and physiology exams, due to the need to self-palpate to jog my memory :o:

(ok, everyone was doing this in the main exam hall, but it did feel odd to be counting the bones in my wrist and feeling how the moved in pronation/supination in front of one of the PT lecturers).

Reply 18

319307

5

I have crohns too...all the best :o:

Reply 19

Amam

Eyyyy i've got crohn's too. For some reason i feel i should say "woohoo" but i feel it's not really the right thing to say...

:smile:

Good luck, anyway.

(this might be for a different thread, but i was just wondering how often it flares up for you guys? Cos i find it lays low for a while and then when it "comes back" it gets reeeaalll bad)

Disabled students allowance (DSA)

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