Disabled students allowance

bestpud

Gemzie121 wrote: »

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.

People with physical disabilities will recieve a laptop if there is a reason why they need to work somewhere other than at a desk.

The DLA process is the same for every university and every disability.

The stages are:

1. Application form with evidence of disability.

For dyslexia, it has to be diagnosed by a qualified assessor within the last three years and when the student was over 16 years old. If a new assessment is needed, the student has to find a way to fund it. For other disabilities, a letter from a health professional will usually be enough.

2. The funder writes back to give go ahead for a needs assessment.

3. The needs assessment is booked (can be at the uni or an assessment centre if closer to home/easier, or at home if it's the OU) and paid for by DSA.

4. The assessor writes a report stating what they feel the student needs and sends it back to the funder.

5. The funder writes back and accepts all the needs or may reject some.

6.Once everyone is happy, the student contacts the supplier, or vice versa, and arranges for the equipment to be delivered.

The OP is stuck at stage one as he needs an assessment but they can cost up to £500.

Mankysteve

kika wrote: »

Thanks. Where did you get assessment done as £200 sounds good value.

College and uni sorted mine before I went.

If hes had an assessment since he's turned 18 I do believe no more will be required if memory serves me right.

As collage had done one as I hadn't had an assessment in few year when I went there.

So all i had to do was go to Manchester uni for my assessment for what extra equipment and stuff I would need. Didn't need another Educational report thingy.

savemoney

My daughter (19) got a laptop for free when when went back to 6th form this year, she is in her 3rd year, she doesn't get anything else now her EMA stopped due to doing less hours

laura-jayne_2

kika wrote: »

Thanks. Where did you get assessment done as £200 sounds good value.

I applied for DSA through my univiersity just a month ago. It involved a 2 hour assessment with an educational psychologist and I had to pay an initial fee of £100 for this assessment (this fee can be paid in installments at student finance department). I was given over £1,300 for a computer and other equipment such as a dictaphone and printer/scanner, print credits and tuition. All in all, very helpful.

jayme1

Taiko wrote: »

I certainly don't like giving students laptops when I do assessments, unless it is completely justified. 95% of the time it isn't.

you want to tell your bosses that they are getting bent over (and more) by the company providing the computers, seriously two thousand pounds for a computer that ANY £350 laptop (or desktop) is easily enough for all uni work!!!
AND you are providing voice recognition software when windows 7 AND windows vista come with it built in fo FREE.

seriously what a complete waste of money, I feel ashamed that you are wasting this money!!

Indie_Kid

jayme1 wrote: »

you want to tell your bosses that they are getting bent over (and more) by the company providing the computers, seriously two thousand pounds for a computer that ANY £350 laptop (or desktop) is easily enough for all uni work!!!
AND you are providing voice recognition software when windows 7 AND windows vista come with it built in fo FREE.

seriously what a complete waste of money, I feel ashamed that you are wasting this money!!

I agree. The laptop I got cost £685. I found the same model in a local shop for almost £200 less.

Bennifred

My son (currently Year 13) was originally diagnosed with dyslexia by an Ed Psych when he was eight. He has been told by the Support Services at all of the university open days that in order to access any support at university he must have another full diagnostic assessment carried out by an accredited assessor, who would be either an Educational Psychologist, or a specialist teacher holding a practising certificate in assessment. They have all said that they can arrange for this to take place once he has been accepted at a university, but that it could take some time, so it is better to have it done before he goes.

The SENCO at his (state, comprehensive) school was unable to help, the special school for dyslexic children which he attended when he was younger recommended an Ed Psych who quoted £600 :eek:.

After a fair amount of searching around we have found a suitable Ed. Psych who is charging £350 - this seems to be the going rate around here. Guess what he's having for his 18th birthday?:D I just hope he gets the grades he needs to get in, now........

Taiko

We're wasting money on media study degrees, but I can't edit policy on that. Policy given from the previous government.

kika

Thanks to all who posted. I understand the process better. Bennifred_ where did you get a quote of £300?

Bennifred

Hi! The quote of £350 is from The Dyslexia Research Trust, based at Oxford Uni (in Oxford, funnily enough:p).

Alternatively, if you look on the website for Oxford Brookes University there is a list of assessors which seem to be based all around the south of the country (with prices, too).