Service Evaluation
The Enabling Support Annual Report is intended to give readers an indication of our activities during the University year. Each year the report includes a review of our activities, details of income and resource generation and an overview of recent and future developments.
Reports
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2001 - 2002 [ PDF ] [ RTF ] [ Flash ]
2000 - 2001 [ PDF ] [ RTF ] [ Flash ]
Enabling Support Annual Report 2002/2003
- Review of Activities
1.1 SENDA
Phase 1 of the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) became law on the 1 st September 2002. This had a major impact on the Enabling Support team. Throughout the year were involved in staff awareness training, in preparing information materials and in providing advice to many University Services and Units. Staff attended several conferences and seminars on the legislation and even attended a pseudo ‘court case'.
It has been a year where we had to look at our own services and provide input into wider University discussion. It has been a great challenge but one that we relished.
1.2 Enabling Support Staffing.
- This has been a very busy year as two members of staff have been off on long-term sick leave and one member of staff reverted to semester hours only.
- Katrina Zeilinski was appointed part-time Receptionist in August 2002.
- Peter Wilson, who had been appointed in April 2002 as Disability Legislation Officer, left the University in July 2002 but returned for a few hours a week to help prepare the University for the introduction of SENDA. Peter withdrew completely from this role in November 2002.
- Cathy Gerrard, CLT, was asked to help promote disability awareness training and to help develop the inclusive curriculum. Cathy started her duties in April 2003.
1.3 Work with Students.
In 2002/2003 the University had approximately 580 registered students with a disability (and an unknown number of unregistered students). This was the same as the previous year.
- Enabling Support submitted 143 Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) Claims to awards agencies on behalf of students for 2002/2003. This includes Paisley, Ayr and Dumfries . This equalled the number of claims from 2001/2002.
- Enabling Support staff helped students claim approximately £350,000 worth of funding for support in 2002/2003.
- Special exam arrangements were made for 150 students.
Considering the staff shortages that were endured during 2002/2003 we believe the service to students did not suffer unduly as students are the top priority of the service.
1.4 Work with Academic Departments.
- Enabling Support organised, presented or partook in various presentations for staff on the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA). This work continues.
- Enabling Support presented a paper to the CLT Conference 2002/2003 on ‘The Inclusive Curriculum and Assessment'.
- Enabling Support were in daily liaison with Enabling Support Co-ordinators and Academic staff from all subject divisions over individual student support.
1.5 Work with Other University Support Services.
Due to the introduction of SENDA in Sept 2002, Enabling Support were invited throughout the year to give advice and presentations to many departments, units or groups. This was a worthwhile exercise for all concerned and established many improved lines of communication.
Enabling Support also worked closely during the year with the following on student support issues -
- The Exams Unit
- Accommodation Unit
- Continuing Education
- The Library
- The Centre for Learning and Teaching
1.6 Ayr
This year saw an increase in the number of students at Ayr campus requesting advice or help. An Adviser had been available on Mondays at Ayr during Semester for appointments.
1.7 Inclusive Curriculum.
The University produced a new Teaching and Learning Strategy in which the inclusive curriculum is a core element of this strategy. Enabling Support provided input to the Strategy and outlined the need for an inclusive curriculum at the CLT conference in May. We also attended a ‘TeachAbility' workshop of which the aim was to audit current teaching practice and review changes that may remove invisible barriers to learning.
- Income and Resource Generation.
2.1 Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) Needs Assessment Income.
Income from SAAS was generated for the provision and administration of Needs Assessments for Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) claims.
2.2 Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) Commission Income.Commission from a computer supplier for the provision of computer equipment to students under Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) claims also generated some income.
2.3 Premium Funding - SHEFC income on Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) submission.
SHEFC again allocated ‘premium funding' based on Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) claims. For 2002-2003 Paisley obtained £109,000 from this allocation.
2.4 Extra Funding for Estates and Buildings provision.
The University received approximately £465,000 to improve estates and buildings for students with disabilities in readiness for the legislation of 2005.
- Recent Development
With staffing restrictions this year we have not been able to develop the services as much as we had hoped however some progress was made.
3.1 Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) procedures.
We again improved our procedures for processing DSA claims and increased our Needs Assessment charges. We agreed with SAAS that monies should be paid direct to suppliers thereby eliminating financial difficulties for students and speeding up the supply of support. This initially worked very well but SAAS decided that they did not want to appear to be endorsing one single supplier so stopped the service. It is our intention for the University to be the supplier of assistive technology and services to students for 20003/2004.
3.2 Enabling Support Website
This site continues to develop and has been praised from many sources as a good source of reference. We have added new pages and had hoped to carry out some major work on the site during this academic year but time did not allow this.
3.3 Disability Working Group.
This Group has been instrumental in a wide range of initiatives for improving services to students with disabilities with Enabling Support staff playing a major role in the development of the Group. (See Minutes of the DWG available on this site ).
3.4 Assistive Technology
Paisley :
This year saw the purchase of MindGenius and Mind Manager software (mind mapping software) for the Resource Suite. Also purchased was Cipher software which converts text to Braille. A new portable CCTV was also purchased.
Ayr :
Two new PCs were purchased for the Information Room at the Student Advisory Service at Ayr . One PC has Kurzweil Scan & Read software for dyslexic students and the other PC has Zoomtext for those with a visual impairment.
Dumfries :
The purchase of Assistive Technology is being planned for the summer of 2003.
3.5 Premium Funding Purchases.
Some equipment was purchased for short-term loans. This included lap-top computers and recording devices.
Unfortunately some old laptops have ceased to function or are too old and have been removed from the lending pool so numbers remain constant.
- Future Developments
No timescales can be placed on the following planned developments.
The next four topics were listed in our Annual report for 2001/2002:
4.1 Introduce a student forum.
This did not happen – continue into 2003/2004
4.2 Training on specialist software.
This did not happen – continue into 2003/2004
4.3 Expand the Needs Assessment Procedures.
We were able to conduct many more Needs Assessments on-campus thereby vastly improving the time taken to apply for funding for assistive technology and personal helpers.
4.4 Conduct more Needs Assessments on Ayr Campus.
We did achieve this aim during 2002/2003
Our intentions for 2003/2004 include:
4.5 The University supplies assistive technology.
As mentioned in 3.1 the provision of assistive technology can be a lengthy and complicated process for a student. We intend to introduce procedures to allow the University to be the supplier of assistive technology for 2003/2004.
4.6 Employ University personal helpers.
Students currently have to find and employ their own personal helpers. This is very problematic and time-consuming. Under SENDA the University may have to provide help when external funding is not available. We intend to prepare a proposal for the University to employ all personal helpers in conjunction with DSA monies.