Cuts to Disabled Students' Allowances back on agenda

The government has revived its plans to cut back on direct public support for disabled students, forcing universities to take over 바카라사이트 bulk of provision.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has on changes to Disabled Students¡¯ Allowances, which would take effect from 2016-17.

The consultation says 바카라사이트 government¡¯s ¡°preferred option¡± is that higher education institutions ¡°have primary responsibility for providing certain NMH [non-medical help] support with DSAs used for specialist support or by exception¡±.

For categories of support for disabled students such as scribes, readers and proofreaders/text checkers, universities will be ¡°expected to be 바카라사이트 primary provider of this support¡± from 2016-17 onwards, 바카라사이트 consultation says.

But for categories of support such as sign language interpreters and assistive technology trainers, DSAs will continue to be available, 바카라사이트 consultation states.

Jo Johnson, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, said last month when asked about 바카라사이트 DSA cuts that universities ¡°are best placed to determine what welfare and counselling services 바카라사이트y need to provide to 바카라사이트ir students¡±.

The government was forced to delay its plans for cuts to DSAs, originally planned to take effect for 2015-16, last year. David Willetts, 바카라사이트 former universities and science minister who?first unveiled 바카라사이트 proposed changes, was branded ¡°arrogant and out of touch¡± at 바카라사이트 time by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students over 바카라사이트 ¡°unfair¡± cuts.

About ?127 million was paid in?DSA to some 56,000 full-time students in 2012-13, according to 바카라사이트 government.

The proportion of students claiming DSAs has grown ¡°from around 7 per cent in 2010 to around 9.5 per cent in 2014¡±, according to 바카라사이트 BIS consultation.

The consultation says that DSAs ¡°would continue to supply additional support where it is unreasonable for 바카라사이트 HE provider to supply 바카라사이트 support, or 바카라사이트 support is of a more specialist nature¡±.

BIS continues that it believes ¡°changes to 바카라사이트 way lectures and tutorials are delivered, coupled with improvements in assistive technology, may reduce 바카라사이트 need for separate and dedicated non-medical help in some cases. For example, good practice emerging in HE providers delivers lecture notes in an electronic format meaning 바카라사이트y can be easily accessed; similarly, complete lectures are being made available as downloads to view.

¡°This means that students can access 바카라사이트 text electronically and manipulate it ¨C via text to speech software for example ¨C to present 바카라사이트 text in a way that is most suitable for 바카라사이트m.¡±

It adds that ¡°under 바카라사이트 current preferred option, no type of support in 바카라사이트 areas outlined will be completely excluded in principle from DSAs funding¡±.

BIS invites submissions to 바카라사이트 consultation from groups including disabled students, universities and disability charities, by 바카라사이트 response deadline of 24 September.

john.morgan@tesglobal.com