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Disabled students allowance

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  • bzz
    bzz Posts: 45 Forumite
    edited 17 November 2010 at 4:16PM
    dmg24 wrote: »
    I can't see a case for a dyslexic needing a laptop rather than a desktop PC, although he can pay the difference himself.

    The ALF would only be available to the OP's son once he is a student. Waiting this long means he would be unlikely to receive any equipment before Christmas.

    The default position seems to be a desktop PC but I know a couple of dyslexics who have gotten laptops instead. As long as the price is similar for the desktop and the laptop, they don't seem to care. One of my friends uses his laptop in lectures - it helps him with note-taking (and that's one of the things that he brought up in his needs assessment).

    As for time-frames, I accepted my place at uni in January, contacted the university's disability service in April, got assessed in July. There was a little to-ing and fro-ing over PCs (in the end, I got a laptop and, having learned from my previous experience, I went with a reputable supplier rather than the uni's own) but, in the end, the cheque arrived in October.

    The key is to be organised. If your son has already narrowed it down to a couple of unis then there's no problem with you contacting them now (when it's relatively quiet) and asking about assessments. Go to the uni's webpage and see if disability service is under student services or support services. An e-mail or a telephone call will take a few minutes and may save you £200 :)
  • dmg24
    dmg24 Posts: 33,920 Forumite
    10,000 Posts
    bzz wrote: »
    The default position seems to be a desktop PC but I know a couple of dyslexics who have gotten laptops instead. As long as the price is similar for the desktop and the laptop, they don't seem to care. One of my friends uses his laptop in lectures - it helps him with note-taking (and that's one of the things that he brought up in his needs assessment).

    As for time-frames, I accepted my place at uni in January, contacted the university's disability service in April, got assessed in July. There was a little to-ing and fro-ing over PCs (in the end, I got a laptop and, having learned from my previous experience, I went with a reputable supplier rather than the uni's own) but, in the end, the cheque arrived in October.

    The key is to be organised. If your son has already narrowed it down to a couple of unis then there's no problem with you contacting them now (when it's relatively quiet) and asking about assessments. Go to the uni's webpage and see if disability service is under student services or support services. An e-mail or a telephone call will take a few minutes and may save you £200 :)

    You need to reread what I said about funding - you suggested the ALF, and that is the point I responded to.
    Gone ... or have I?
  • bzz
    bzz Posts: 45 Forumite
    dmg24 wrote: »
    You need to reread what I said about funding - you suggested the ALF, and that is the point I responded to.

    The first line you wrote in reply seemed to be about getting a laptop through the DSA. The second line was about ALFs and I didn't really reply to that, I was just giving a general time frame for the process. Sorry for the confusion.
  • kika wrote: »
    My son was assessed at junior school and uses computer in exams. I know we need this form but I need to know how to get this assessment done and cheaply. I don't have a lot of spare money.
    melroccan- can you tell me who did the assessment?
    bzz - once he accepts offers I may try this.
    We filled in the application form obtained from the Directgov website, this was accompanied by a letter from healthcare professional detailing his problems. Student finance then wrote to say he was eligible for DSA and we should arrange for an assessment which would be paid for out of the DSA. They gave us a website to find our nearest assessment centre, which we did and went for an appointment in our town. Had we needed to travel they would have paid travel costs to get to the assessment too, we did not have to pay for the assessment it was paid directly by Student Finance. The person who did the assessment recommended which equipment would be best to help him and gave 3 quotes from different suppliers. Student Finance then chose the supplier and we had to contact that supplier and send them a copy of the letter so they would organise the delivery. We are currently awaiting delivery but applied late (September) as we weren't sure he would be able to go, he only came out of hospital in August. Hope this helps you with the process.
  • Taiko
    Taiko Posts: 2,719 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I certainly don't like giving students laptops when I do assessments, unless it is completely justified. 95% of the time it isn't.
  • bestpud
    bestpud Posts: 11,048 Forumite
    melroccan wrote: »
    We filled in the application form obtained from the Directgov website, this was accompanied by a letter from healthcare professional detailing his problems. Student finance then wrote to say he was eligible for DSA and we should arrange for an assessment which would be paid for out of the DSA. They gave us a website to find our nearest assessment centre, which we did and went for an appointment in our town. Had we needed to travel they would have paid travel costs to get to the assessment too, we did not have to pay for the assessment it was paid directly by Student Finance. The person who did the assessment recommended which equipment would be best to help him and gave 3 quotes from different suppliers. Student Finance then chose the supplier and we had to contact that supplier and send them a copy of the letter so they would organise the delivery. We are currently awaiting delivery but applied late (September) as we weren't sure he would be able to go, he only came out of hospital in
    August. Hope this helps you with the process.

    The OP is in an earlier stage of the process because her son will need to have his dyslexia assessed before he can apply. You are talking about health needs that can be verified by health care providers but for dyslexia, students must have a recent assessment carried out by qualified assessor.

    This assessment report would then be sent with the DSA application, in place of the letter from the health professional that you provided iyswim?

    The needs assessment will be covered by DSA but that comes later - every student has that once the initial DSA application has been approved.

    A dyslexia assessment is not covered by DSA but it is possible to apply
    through the ALF fund after Uni has started. As DMG said, that would cause a significant delay in him getting any equipment.

    If it were me and I needed the help from the start, I'd find the cheapest way of getting an assessment and pay for it tbh. Just be careful to use a suitable assessor - the college should be able to help with that.

    As for laptops, the only way to get one for dyslexia is if a work placement forms a significant part of your course and/or you have some other reason to justify it, in my experience.
  • Indie_Kid
    Indie_Kid Posts: 23,097 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    bestpud wrote: »
    If it were me and I needed the help from the start, I'd find the cheapest way of getting an assessment and pay for it tbh. Just be careful to use a suitable assessor - the college should be able to help with that.

    I don't know if all colleges do this; but when I was at college, everyone has screening for Dyslexia. Those of us who came back with scores that indicated Dyslexia, we had a test done free of charge.
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  • bestpud
    bestpud Posts: 11,048 Forumite
    sh1305 wrote: »
    I don't know if all colleges do this; but when I was at college, everyone has screening for Dyslexia. Those of us who came back with scores that indicated Dyslexia, we had a test done free of charge.

    I would have thought the college would assess him too but I guess they are happy to use the assessment he had done at school...? It's whether or not they'd be happy to fund a new assessment now, when he is getting all the help he needs at college...

    I suppose the screening is used to identify new cases so they'd have disregarded his results once they knew he was already getting support?

    I would ask anyway as it's definitely worth a try imo.
  • My disability is physical but I have a laptop etc and DSA. I applied via an online application then had to have a needs assessment at uni. Everything went through and I recieved a letter where I had to basically order the reccomended items myself, arrange for their delivery and the uni paid for it. This year I applied again online and recieved a confirmation letter didnt need a needs assessment again. I am not sure if the process differs if its not a physical disability though - my evidence was quite straightforward as my surgeon wrote to the uni outlining his thoughts and to confirm I was in fact disabled, also I have disability living allowance anyway. It probably will differ for dyslexia but reading the comments on the thread it seems the unis vary anyway. Why not ring around to your potential universities and ask what the process is? if you have already thought of some that is.
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  • Indie_Kid
    Indie_Kid Posts: 23,097 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Gemzie121 wrote: »
    This year I applied again online and recieved a confirmation letter didnt need a needs assessment again.

    I think unless your disability and needs change, you don't get an assessment each year. I had one last year and have one for OU tomorrow - but my disabilities have changed a lot over the last year.
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