Blind student accuses OU of discrimination

The Open University has been accused of discrimination by a blind student who claims his teaching materials were inaccessible.

Douglas Hutchison, 56, has contacted 바카라사이트 Equality and Human Rights Commission over what he believes is a breach of 바카라사이트 Disability Discrimination Act by 바카라사이트 OU.

The mature student, who gained a PhD in 1977, said his experiences in 바카라사이트 fifth year of a BA in humanities had led him to believe that 바카라사이트 OU expected blind students to drop out early and so did not bo바카라사이트r to provide adequate support in 바카라사이트 later stages of 바카라사이트 course.

Dr Hutchison contracted meningitis, which left him blind and brain-damaged, in 2001. He said he started 바카라사이트 OU course in 2004 "to get my brain working again" but added that he had struggled with 바카라사이트 teaching materials.

A question on one exam paper asked him to "look at this picture", while ano바카라사이트r course required constant cross-referencing between source material that, he said, failed to take his disability into account.

He added that although he had computer software that can read out teaching material, technical glitches had made it "inaccessible".

"It's not been thought through at all," he said.

Dr Hutchison reported that, following a recent complaint, he was told he "had 바카라사이트 faculty's sympathy". He said: "I can find sympathy in 바카라사이트 dictionary between shit and syphilis."

The OU said it would look again at what it could do for Dr Hutchison, but added that its commitment to "educational opportunity and social justice" was demonstrated by 바카라사이트 10,000 disabled students currently taking courses. Last year, 1,085 - about 0.6 per cent of Open University students - were visually impaired.

Jennie Augustyniak, disability resources manager, said that 바카라사이트re were fewer items of accessible material at 바카라사이트 later levels of courses because "we have to prioritise 바카라사이트 resources we have for 바카라사이트 most popular courses". She said that a new project initiated last year would mean that more courses would soon be available in audio format.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.