Seen exams and disabled students

Gingernutmeg

At my uni, beyond some compulsory first and second year exams, it's perfectly possible to choose modules that don't have a terminal exam, but are instead assessed by essay. I have friends at a number of unis and they say it's the same there too. If someone struggles with exams then it's perfectly possible to avoid them to a greater extent - I'd argue that this is a sufficient allowance for someone who struggles with processing information at speed.

If you do struggle with processing information, then I would also suggest that maybe a purely academic degree isn't for you ... My brother, for example, is quite severly dyslexic and went through school at a time when it wasn't really recognised or helped. Although things were changing when he came to go to uni, he realised that, even with extra help, there was no way he could cope with a purely academic degree. He chose something that was much more vocationally based and did well - yes, he struggled with the reading and writing but as that wasn't the main focus of his degree, he managed to compensate for that by doing well in the other aspects.

I agree completely that if there are physical or practical barriers that prevent people from getting an education then they should be removed or ameliorated as far as possible. However, when you start to talk about changing the standards for some people because they can't cope so well with the academic demands, I think you're getting into quite dangerous territory.

Tam_Lin

That's it in a nutshell, crazy-guy; extra time in exams is fine and reasonable if needed, but extra preparation time is nonsense. I've never heard of 'seen exam's before this thread so I wonder if they're widespread or whether the 'fashion' for them is a Phil fantasy, like everyone else getting a 2:1 for instance?

studentphil

crazy_guy wrote: »

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?

It is a mooting point that is all.

How is it taking the micky when a disability could slow you down writing plans and doing drafts or could slow you down in thinking about the answer?
That is a clear disadvantage due to your disability I am affaid.

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

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

LIFE is unfair, Phil, so you'll just have to get used to it. Far better to accept that people have differing abilities, ask for reasonable adjustments if required, and then get on with it.

jrrowleyws

Typing cant be that bad for you Phil with over 13000 posts on a forum!!

crazy_guy

If you can't prepare an answer a week before an exam you shouldnt be doing a degree, it may take a disabled person slightly longer to prepare for an exam but a week is more than enough for them to do it in!!

Tam_Lin

studentphil wrote: »

How is it taking the micky when a disability could slow you down writing plans and doing drafts or could slow you down in thinking about the answer?
That is a clear disadvantage due to your disability I am affaid.

Surely it's far better to ask if it's fair to expect a disabled person to attempt to compete on the same level as the non-disabled in the first place? If they struggle so badly that they need 'seen exams' etc, how is that any help to an employer in assessing their achievements? While I have sympathy with disabled people in general, I have far more admiration for those who just get on with it than with those who play the unfairness card all the time.

studentphil

Gingernutmeg wrote: »

At my uni, beyond some compulsory first and second year exams, it's perfectly possible to choose modules that don't have a terminal exam, but are instead assessed by essay. I have friends at a number of unis and they say it's the same there too. If someone struggles with exams then it's perfectly possible to avoid them to a greater extent - I'd argue that this is a sufficient allowance for someone who struggles with processing information at speed.

If you do struggle with processing information, then I would also suggest that maybe a purely academic degree isn't for you ... My brother, for example, is quite severly dyslexic and went through school at a time when it wasn't really recognised or helped. Although things were changing when he came to go to uni, he realised that, even with extra help, there was no way he could cope with a purely academic degree. He chose something that was much more vocationally based and did well - yes, he struggled with the reading and writing but as that wasn't the main focus of his degree, he managed to compensate for that by doing well in the other aspects.

I agree completely that if there are physical or practical barriers that prevent people from getting an education then they should be removed or ameliorated as far as possible. However, when you start to talk about changing the standards for some people because they can't cope so well with the academic demands, I think you're getting into quite dangerous territory.

I can see all that, it is very difficult issue I know. I do not know the answer myself, but I know many disabled people have gifts and brains and the system being so set up for the physically able does make somewhat harder for disabled people. But I do feel strongly that disabled people have a right to go to school, go to university, work and get married just like everyone else and that is vey hard in a world created by the physically able for the physically able.

crazy_guy

If we are going to give extra time to prepare an answer because someone has a disability and is generally slower to understand and to plan an answer......i think we should IQ test EVERYONE - if i'm dumber than another student surely i should get extra time to compensate for my lower intellect compared to a fellow student.

For the exam, perhaps we should test the speed of EVERYONES writing speed, its surely not fair to allow fast writers to be allowed to write more stuff than me who is generally a slow writer......where do we stop phil??

studentphil

Tam_Lin wrote: »

Surely it's far better to ask if it's fair to expect a disabled person to attempt to compete on the same level as the non-disabled in the first place? If they struggle so badly that they need 'seen exams' etc, how is that any help to an employer in assessing their achievements? While I have sympathy with disabled people in general, I have far more admiration for those who just get on with it than with those who play the unfairness card all the time.

I think it is fair for disabled people to want to compete with non-disabled people. I would not have wanted to have been put in special school and then to live the rest of my life in care on benefits. I have always wanted to be just like non-disabled people and to have a life of success, freedom and achievement.