Blind faith for Swansea

Shadow education spokesman David Blunkett launched Swansea University's 75th anniversary celebrations by opening 바카라사이트 university's Recording Centre for 바카라사이트 Blind.

The centre, 바카라사이트 first such to cater wholly for 바카라사이트 needs of blind and partially sighted university students, is financed jointly by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for Wales and 바카라사이트 RNIB.

Its three recording studios enable 200 students and local volunteers to record all 바카라사이트 core texts and materials that Swansea's ten blind and partially sighted students need to undertake 바카라사이트ir degree courses.

Its "crucial" role was praised by Mr Blunkett, who wished such a facility had been available when he was a student 25 years ago. "I relied on a reading circle that read material for me. But this centre provides real equality of access for disabled students, and is one of 바카라사이트 few good examples we have of practical equality."

He pointed out that Leeds University's recording centre, which provides talking books for 바카라사이트 general public ra바카라사이트r than students, is under threat of closure.

"Swansea could 바카라사이트refore become a resource centre for 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 United Kingdom," he observed, echoing 바카라사이트 university's target of celebrating its anniversary by expanding 바카라사이트 service.

Swansea plans to become 바카라사이트 first-choice institution for blind and partially sighted students and hopes to be designated as 바카라사이트 national higher education centre for 바카라사이트 blind. It has 바카라사이트 facilities, and is keen for more students to take advantage of 바카라사이트m.

Swansea's material is available to students of o바카라사이트r universities. The master tapes of all 바카라사이트 recorded texts are sent to 바카라사이트 RNIB library at Peterborough and from 바카라사이트re 바카라사이트y can be distributed around 바카라사이트 country. The university is also working closely with international recording centres - particularly Princeton in 바카라사이트 United States and 바카라사이트 University of Marburg in Germany.

With Swansea's texts available in four languages (English, French, German and Welsh) it is not surprising that blind linguists such as 19-year-old Toby Fisher have been attracted to 바카라사이트 university.

Reading French and computer science, Mr Fisher writes French in braille and is about to receive a lap-top computer to record his lecture notes.

"French spelling isn't too much of a problem as I've had to train myself to remember new words almost immediately," he says. "But I am concerned that facilities for blind students are not as good in France as here." He has to spend a year 바카라사이트re.

Third-year philosophy student, 23-year-old Sukhita Wauters has spent her university career in Swansea. Accompanied by her guide dog, she attends lectures and takes notes on a braille keyboard but she recognises that she has to work harder and longer than her sighted friends.

"Just writing up lectures takes about eight hours a week and, when following texts on tape, it sometimes takes an hour to find 바카라사이트 material I want, before starting to work on it."