Seen exams and disabled students

Gingernutmeg

studentphil wrote: »

I know people think disabled people get it soft but I can only speak for myself and writing for 3 to 4 hours for me is very physically painful and I am a very slow writer compared to other people. Simply without adjustments I would be unable to take exams.

If you are physically fit then writing for 4 hours and sat at a tiny desk with a bad chair is not so bad, but not for everyone.

But your uni should make adjustments for that ... At my uni, people who have physical problems have allowances made for that, and quite rightly so. I have a friend who has arthritis, which means that she can't write and type as quickly as other people. She gets extra time in exams and is allowed to take 'breaks' when she feels she needs to as she physically can't sit for long periods of time, and she is allowed to write her exams on a computer as it's easier for her than writing. This allows her to compete on the same level as everyone else and is fair and right - I'm certainly not arguing against that.

studentphil

aurora_borealis wrote: »

Why can't you type? You're very good at that

I am not LEA funded for it for one.

I can type a few words on here, but to do an exam you need to type fast and I can not type fast plus typing hurts me more if I do it when I am stressed.

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

Simply without adjustments I would be unable to take exams.

What adjustments have you agreed and got approved for your Finals?

Gingernutmeg

studentphil wrote: »

I see that point. There does still seem a disadvantage if you have less planning time if you work slower than other's and that does seem unfair.

It's difficult, but it comes down to the point of 'how much can you compensate for that'? Part of a degree is learning to cope with challenges and completing work within certain timescales. Everyone works at different speeds, but realistically, how much difference is extra time going to make if you struggle with certain concepts? You seem to be suggesting that everyone could achieve the same if each person got all of the time they needed ... I'm not sure that this is the case.

studentphil

cupid_s wrote: »

I think the general idea for giving people more time is they are slower at writing in exams or possibly need more time to check spelling and grammar.
In our department people with disabilities who get more time have little problem with the actual processing the information so could prepare for the exam just as well in a week as anyone else.

I wouldn't think people would be allowed to get the paper earlier, I suppose they have to draw a line somewhere or all disabled students would have to have longer deadlines for all work (though this isn't necessarily a bad idea, just impractical possibly?) and have different questions for the seen exams which would open up another set of problems.

If you have a week or more to prepare anyway it should be long enough for everyone regardless of disability

It is worth remembering that dyslexics have up to half the processing speed of a normal person. If I had seen exams I would be at a disadvantage as it would take me a good while to write plans and it would take me longer to write out a draft compared to a normal person, so I can see a case for a clear disaadvantage through this assessment.

studentphil

Tam_Lin wrote: »

What adjustments have you agreed and got approved for your Finals?

I get 25% extra time, unlimited toilet and rest breaks.

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

It is worth remembering that dyslexics have up to half the processing speed of a normal person. If I had seen exams I would be at a disadvantage as it would take me a good while to write plans and it would take me longer to write out a draft compared to a normal person, so I can see a case for a clear disaadvantage through this assessment.

Have you been diagnosed as being dyslexic? I don't see how you would be at a disadvantage with seen exams and extra time beforehand; you wouldn't use the time to prepare because you'd be on here anyway

studentphil

Tam_Lin wrote: »

Have you been diagnosed as being dyslexic? I don't see how you would be at a disadvantage with seen exams and extra time beforehand; you wouldn't use the time to prepare because you'd be on here anyway

I am not diagnosed as being dyslexic but I can see how dyslexics might be disadvantaged. If I had seen exams I would use that time well as in doing many plans and doing maybe a draft.

crazy_guy

studentphil wrote: »

I am not diagnosed as being dyslexic but I can see how dyslexics might be disadvantaged. If I had seen exams I would use that time well as in doing many plans and doing maybe a draft.

Err i can't see how an extra few days would assist someone to formulate a better answer - it would be fraught with problems and person with a physical disability would have an advantage as they would not be prevented from preparing their answer, their only disadvantage is when they are up against the clock in the exam.

It would be very hard to calculate how much slower in processing information one person is compared to a normal person and they could have a advantage over everyone else.

Its fair enough for extra time in the exams but your taking the mickey to think you should get the seen paper earlier just because of a disabliity which may not even be a disadvantage to prepare.

You trying to get extra time to prepare phil?

studentphil

It just seems unfair to me that a disability should people at disadvantage in exams likes this.