A little help with blind student

Skullcreature

Hi
I will be attending college for the first time since leaving school. I am registered blind and have been since the age of eleven years old and find it a task in day to day life. When i start college i have been told that i will not be entitled to help from sass what's so ever as I am doing a access course which i thought would be suitable for someone like my self being out of education for so long. if anyone could suggest any organistaion that could help. I think the most thing that would help me at college is a laptop as i find writing very hard to as i can not see what i am writing if you could help me in anyway I would be much grateful.

thank you for your time
Andy

Savvy_Sue

I am not sure what sass is.

But the college should be able to advise about help for you as a disabled student. It is not in their interests for you not to do well on the course.

I know that if you are doing an HE course (degree) you can apply for extra help. But I am not sure what is available at Access level.

Skullcreature

if anyone can help i would be grateful

dmg24

Your college should have a Disability Support Officer. They will be able to advise you of availability of funds to assist you in your course.

I don't know if there is a specific fund for the blind (I also don't know what SASS is), but you should be able to get funding through the Disabled Students Fund or the Access to Learning Fund.

Best of luck x

holstar

have you contacted your LEA? they might be able to help.

does your college have any form of hardship help?...is this what SASS is? could you explain what SASS is for us?

are you registered with any blind charities? might they be able to help, or point you in the direction of some blind/education charities?

with regards to having a laptop..if a laptop isn't available to you, have you considered a dictaphone-type thing to record lectures...so, you have the lecture content as a back up to your notes?

hope you manage to get something sorted

Skullcreature

sass is student funding for students with disability in scotland but because am doing a access course so this course does not come under the the courses supported by the sass. i have emailed the rnib, lead scotland, and anoter i can't remember the name of if anyone knows any else let me know
cheers
andy
p.s can i say for who has responded i do appreiate all the help and thank you from the bottom of my heart.

pavlovs_dog

would the RNIB be an option?

i'd hazard a guess that you must already be familiar with assisstive technology (i think that was what it was called - the things that make it easier for people with various disabilities to use IT equipment) so im guessing thats one area covered for you. depending on how severe your blindness is, and how it affects your mobility (do you use a cane/support dog to get around) etc, this could be something to discuss with the college so that they can ensure classes are scheduled in rooms with good, easy access for you.

magic57

Hi there. Good luck with your course.

I find the RNIB site horrendous to navigate but don't know if I'm allowed to put a link so this is how to get to an interesting page that I hope will help.

Put RNIB into Google. It will take you to the home page. Along the top just under the search box click Daily Life. Then click Technology. Then go the the Technology contents (down the left side of the page) Click Eveyday life. Finally there is a bit about Technology in college. They have a few suggestions for funding.

I have copied this bit below.
Sources of Funding
Assistance in purchasing equipment may be available from statutory bodies such as the LEA or Learning and Skills Council (LSC). Our Student website provides comprehensive information on money matters and other aspects of student life. Some voluntary organisations may be able to contribute towards equipment and you can contact the RNIB Welfare Rights Service for their factsheet on ‘Grant awarding charities which may assist blind and partially sighted students’.

There is an email address where you can contact them for details of organisations that might be able to suggest some sources of funding.

Also do ask at college. There should be a disability co-ordinator there. You may also be offered a leaning support assistant who may be able to adapt material for you such as enlarging text. They might have assistive technology there such as speech recognition software and a video magnifier.

Good luck!