Disabled Student's Allowance -- worth applying for mental health?

bitsandpieces wrote: »

The majority of students don't need laptops. They are very convenient to have, but people can and do manage fine without them. Everyone needs access to a computer, but there is generally no reason why people can't use machines in computer suites etc. The same is not the case for some disabled students.

Also, the great majority of non-disabled students (except for those doing some specialised subjects) don't need modern, fast laptops: older laptops, or basic machines like netbooks, are fine for wordprocessing. Many disabled students will need a more capable machine in order to run specialised software.

Yes, but not everyone can get access to a computer at the busiest times of year. It's hard not having your own computer.

Those doing specialist subjects usually need to buy their own computers, coming out of their own loans. They know that when they choose to do the course. If you know you'll need a computer to yourself because you cannot use the library ones then you should be footing the bill for that, in my opinion. I still don't understand why students cannot get a small computer cluster reserved that has the required software on them. For the most common cases I think this would be suitable. It could even be in a converted study room or somewhere a bit quieter if that what was wanted.

sh1305 wrote: »

What about students who can't get into the library?

I have already raised this point..

the clusters would still be abused and like i said, what about students that may book time and then be unable to do to their disability.

Also, it is cheaper for students just to get their own then get the required permissions and funding to create these kinds of spaces.

sh1305 wrote: »

What about students who can't get into the library?

What about those non-disabled students who cannot get to the library? There are plenty.

Amethyst_ice wrote: »

I have already raised this point..

the clusters would still be abused and like i said, what about students that may book time and then be unable to do to their disability.

Also, it is cheaper for students just to get their own then get the required permissions and funding to create these kinds of spaces.

The idea isn't perfect. If they cannot make their time then it can be given to another student if they need it. We can't all get computers when we want or need them though.

How is it cheaper to provide, say, twenty students with their own computer and all the required software than provide, say, five situated in the library with the software.

sh1305 wrote: »

How many libraries are open at 2am? I'm more awake then than I am at 5pm.

Quite a few libraries are open 24 hours at least during exam periods, although I understand that they tend to be the bigger ones. Again, not all students can work 9-5, there are a lot who prefer to work at night. These students also need to work around that and usually means getting their own equipment.

sh1305 wrote: »

You'd also have to have computers in the seminar / lab rooms with the software on too.

So that's another few computers. If the student wants the software on their own private computer then it could be put on there. I'm sure that wouldn't be a hassle.

sh1305 wrote: »

It's usually cheaper to buy the student a laptop than to have software on several computers.

Put it this way - when I was at college, they preferred to pay £900 for a piece of software that they claimed would help me (I said it didn't and it never has done) than get a couple of large size monitors - these work out at around £200 each. (a couple because I was in 2 different rooms every week)

So, really, it is the system that needs changing, which is what I've been saying.