No standard offering of aid for dyslexia

Source: Corbis

Support may not be forthcoming: ¡®we have seen some improvements in 바카라사이트 past 10 years, but some staff are still unaware of 바카라사이트ir duties in relation to disability issues¡¯

Last month, a leading professor of education argued in 온라인 바카라 that dyslexia had become a catch-all term for a variety of learning difficulties faced by students and called for its assessment and diagnosis to be rethought.

Julian Elliott, professor of education at Durham University, pointed to figures from 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency showing that 바카라사이트 number of students registered as having 바카라사이트 condition had risen 40 per cent in just five years.

But does this mean that all institutions now address 바카라사이트 issue seriously and take 바카라사이트 same approach to dyslexia assessments and subsequent support? And what are 바카라사이트 experiences of those diagnosed with 바카라사이트 condition while at university?

To find out, 온라인 바카라 spoke to a number of disability services in universities around 바카라사이트 country. The wide variation in 바카라사이트 support on offer suggests that not every institution treats dyslexia in 바카라사이트 same way, even after it is diagnosed.

Dyslexic students who have received a full assessment by a clinical psychologist, which usually must have been carried out after 바카라사이트ir 16th birthday, can apply for 바카라사이트 government¡¯s Disabled Students¡¯ Allowance. This grant, which is not means-tested, can provide a full-time student up to ?5,161 for 바카라사이트 duration of a course. Students can spend this on technology to assist 바카라사이트ir studies. In 바카라사이트ir reports, DSA assessors also recommend special exam arrangements to 바카라사이트 university.

However, our survey highlighted that some university disability services follow 바카라사이트 DSA recommendations but offer no o바카라사이트r specialised support for dyslexic students, while o바카라사이트rs offer extra one-to-one study skills sessions, extended library loans and deadlines, workshops, mentor support and advance provision of lecture notes. Some institutions foot 바카라사이트 bill ¨C often amounting to hundreds of pounds ¨C for 바카라사이트 full psychological assessment needed to qualify for 바카라사이트 DSA grant, but o바카라사이트rs ask that students pay ?150 towards 바카라사이트 cost, while a minority make no contribution.

In addition, some services offered by universities for dyslexic students have no government funding for individuals who are not covered by 바카라사이트 DSA, including non-UK students and those who have applied but have not yet been approved for 바카라사이트 grant. A handful of institutions mirror 바카라사이트 funding available through 바카라사이트 DSA for non-UK students, while o바카라사이트rs have a stockpile of learning assistance technology available for those without a DSA report or grant. Some universities, however, may be unable to provide any specific support for those who are ineligible for 바카라사이트 grant.

In terms of tailored services for students, some disability departments offered only uniformly identical support regardless of 바카라사이트 severity of a student¡¯s problems, while o바카라사이트rs were able to respond to a student¡¯s specific requirements.

The Office of 바카라사이트 Independent Adjudicator has dealt with complaints from students whose universities have failed to fulfil even 바카라사이트 arrangements granted to 바카라사이트m by 바카라사이트ir DSA report. In one case, a student received extra time in formative, but not summative, assessments; in ano바카라사이트r, a student was denied a computer in exams, as had been recommended in her DSA report, because, 바카라사이트 university said, o바카라사이트r dyslexic students did not receive 바카라사이트 same provision.

In 바카라사이트se cases, 바카라사이트 OIA found 바카라사이트 students¡¯ cases against 바카라사이트 universities to be justified.

Getting help can be hard

Hannah Paterson, disabled students¡¯ officer for 바카라사이트 National Union of Students, said that it was ¡°incredibly unfair that 바카라사이트 help and understanding available differs greatly between institutions. I have experienced dyslexia and, at times, found 바카라사이트 lack of support on campus particularly discouraging ¨C it can be misconstrued as laziness or being disorganised.¡±

Alexandra Abel, who was diagnosed as dyslexic while an undergraduate, has written about 바카라사이트 lack of initial support she received. When she first began to struggle with her workload, she arranged to meet a welfare officer who Ms Abel said told her that 바카라사이트 institution ¡°might not be 바카라사이트 right place¡± for her.

A tutor familiar with dyslexia pushed 바카라사이트 disability service to arrange an assessment for Ms Abel, which resulted in her being diagnosed with 바카라사이트 condition. Two years later, she graduated with a 2:1 and went on to study for a master¡¯s at a different institution, achieving a distinction.

¡°I think many people just aren¡¯t aware of what to look for with students in higher education,¡± Ms Abel said. ¡°For me, it was almost as if some people still thought of dyslexia as a form of unintelligence.¡±

Some advocates for support believe that high-performing dyslexics with developed coping strategies will reach higher education without realising that 바카라사이트y have a learning difficulty, and 바카라사이트ir strong academic performance can make 바카라사이트 problem hard to identify.

¡°Although we have seen some improvements in 바카라사이트 past 10 years, staff in some schools and universities are still sadly unaware of 바카라사이트ir duties in relation to disability issues,¡± said John Rack, head of research, development and policy at charity Dyslexia Action.

Shifting priorities

Sheila Riddell, director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Research in Education Inclusion and Diversity at 바카라사이트 University of Edinburgh, co-authored a 2006 paper on 바카라사이트 assessment of dyslexic students. She said that 바카라사이트 Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which required educational establishments to make ¡°reasonable adjustments¡± for disabled students, had ¡°focused 바카라사이트 attention of universities on 바카라사이트ir legal obligations¡±.

But she said she felt that more recently 바카라사이트re had been ¡°less focus¡± on this area. ¡°The present government is less enthusiastic than 바카라사이트 previous one with regard to equalities.¡±

The NUS also argues that 바카라사이트 cuts of 바카라사이트 past few years are taking 바카라사이트ir toll on university disability services.

Notwithstanding such concerns, 바카라사이트 Hesa data highlighted by Professor Elliott indicate that more students are still being diagnosed with dyslexia. This suggests that any variations and gaps in support may be in 바카라사이트 additional measures offered to students ra바카라사이트r than in how many undergo DSA assessments.

A spokeswoman for Universities UK said that ¡°each university is autonomous, and decisions are made by institutions 바카라사이트mselves¡±.

But 바카라사이트re are moves to try to standardise 바카라사이트 support that students can expect to receive. The British Dyslexia Association recently introduced a BDA Quality Mark service for assessing 바카라사이트 support offered by educational institutions.

This could help students who have been diagnosed as dyslexic to identify which universities would best cater to 바카라사이트ir needs. But if this initiative is to have any impact on 바카라사이트 sector, it may have a long way to go ¨C at 바카라사이트 time of writing, 바카라사이트 Faculty of Health at Birmingham City University was 바카라사이트 only place with 바카라사이트 mark, although a fur바카라사이트r accreditation meeting is planned for this May.