special needs support

[IdontknowwhyIcare]

Is anyone aware it there are any uni's more attuned to supporting special needs? Ds is doing very well and aspires to study PPE or similar. Currently he is writing his GCSE's and expected to get a clutch of A/A'* and some B's. At the moment he has a diagnosed vision difficulty that was only diagnosed 2 years ago. He has always been able to talk the talk, debate, discuss, put his point across but failed dismally to get anything on paper. The support he has at the moment allows him to use a lap top (both in class and in exams), he has a reader for exams, a scribe if needed (ie multiple choice where he cant see the rows or columns just a jumble), most importably he has 25% extra time. His progress during the last 2 years has been amazing but it is virtually like learning to read and write from scratch. He is due a reassesment next week by the same ed psych for the next 2 years statement.

Really and honestly is he in with a chance? His A level choices are History, Economics, Philosphy, govt & poitics, with Eng Lit as AS. He has completed work exp in the House of Commons and will be back there again this summer, something he organised for himself (from overseas).

I don't know whether Oxford is more attuned but, once the college discovered DD3 was hearing impaired (nothing was written on her reference and she's never aplied for any special allowances with public exams), they couldn't be more helpful. She hasn't opted to take up any of this help, which I think is a bit of a mistake, but that's a separate issue.

I didn't realise DD had been born severely hearing impaired until Y8 either, so that's when she was diagnosed too.... Not good I know (she adapted herself, extraordinarily).

A colleague's son went to Hull and she said the organised for a scribe, laptop and special software.

DD3 has mild learning difficulties she is booked into an open day at UWE and in the prospectus it says that any disabilities should be mentioned on the UCAS form when applyiny for university.

Idont I am not sure if you are aware but assistance for your DS is not provided directly by the university. If a student has a disability they can apply for Disabled Student Allowance. They need to complete the relevant form and send it to Student Finance with some evidence of the disability e.g. Consultants letter, ed psych report depending on what is relevant. Student Finance then decide whether the person is eligible. If so, the student then arranges a meeting with a Needs Assessment panel (which are located all round the country) and they decide what the student needs to put them on a par with students without a disability. This covers 3 main areas:

• specialist equipment (e.g. computer, magnifier, digital recorder, certain software)
• non-medical helpers (e.g. scribe, reader, extra lessons etc)
• general (e.g. photocopying allowance, book allowance(not for core texts)

Each area has a financial maximum. The student DOES NOT get the money as an allowance and obviously only for severe cases the full amount. Once the Needs Assessment has been completed they write a report. Student Finance approves it and the equipment and services are provided. This whole process can take a while especially IME getting a letter from a Consultant and of course the nearer to October you apply the slower it is. You can apply once you have started University but then of course you have to survive the first few months on your own which depending on the disability could be disastrous e.g. no radio link for a deaf student or special magnifier for a student with vision problems.

Although DSA is an allowance that is independent of the University they can and do assist with the above and are obviously part of the implementation. My DC is going through the process at the moment. He did tick the box on the UCAS form to say he has a disability and this initiated letters asking for details from all the 5 universities he got offers from before he had even confirmed them. His prospective university has invited him for a meeting between his department and the university disability people this summer so they can discuss his needs. So far he and I am very impressed....

When your DS attends Open Days the University Disability section is usually there and IME are used to parents bombarding them with questions.

Good luck to your DS and do apply early!