Funding in further education?

NAS11866 said:

We were handed a leaflet on Dyslexia when he enrolled 15 months ago. He isn't Dyslexic either, but has severe problems with handwriting.It is as if they had done Dyslexia training so everyone with a problem must be Dyslexic.

This is what they did with me when I was there 4 years ago. They argued that I was Dyslexic because my reading is poor. My reading is poor because I'm sight impaired and my impairment means that it takes far more effort to read than it does a non-visually impaired person.

The SENCo did explain to me that when my son was at school his Statement ensured that there was a pot of money allocated to him, whereas now she has to apply for funding and allocate it on the basis of need. This presumably means that you are competing with people like him for the allocation of money, and that, combined with what sounds like a fairly uninformed staff, would explain why you aren't getting the help you feel you need.

This is the impression I get. There's no disabled students allowance either; so the college (or LA) have to fund it.

I have no idea why I can't walk out if I've got sensory overload. It's physically painful at times. Yet, I can walk out if I need the toilet?

Finally had a meeting Friday. They won't grant 1-1 because I don't need it. How they've worked this out, I don't know. They won't supply me with coloured ppaer and have said I've got to supply my own. A writing pad of coloured paper is over £3. They will let me walk out when I've got sensory overload; but I've got to tell someone. Depending on the type of sensory overload, this is actually impossible.

longman said:

Predictable...NAS didn't reproduce the URL in full. Look up Direct Gov, alphabetical list Disability, then Disabled Support at College.

It works if you click on it, longman - the forums just shorten the urls when displaying them in posts!

Not something you can blame the NAS for.

Thanks. That link worked for me.

I had a reply this morning. I was told they'll offer the same support as last time. What support? They accused me and my consultants of lying, tried to put labels on me for learning difficulties which I can't possibly have and refused to allow someone to help me with my reading. They claimed it's because I need to learn to do it myself. It's not that I can't read - the effort required to read is much more than non-visually impaired people.

Predictable...NAS didn't reproduce the URL in full. Look up Direct Gov, alphabetical list Disability, then Disabled Support at College.

Sounds pretty bad.

Notwithstanding you say you haven't an AS diagnosis, can you get your local area NAS representative to intercede with the college?

DirectGov has a webpage for Disabled people - disabled support at college (I'm usually ill-fated citing urls on here but www.direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/educationandtraining/furthereducation/dg_4000896 is how I found it)

This contains a sub-page Learning and your rights, and also sections on grants etc.

Perhaps you could contact DuirectGov about the college. However I suspect the coalition government will advocate going elsewhere if one college doesn't help - which is not as easy an option as fat cat politicians seem to think. If you don't have a taxpayer paid chauffered limousine to take you to the college in the next town you must be one of the downtrodden masses.

NAS also needs to note that clearly many colleges are ignoring the DDA.

It is possible they are trying to avoid their committments by deliberately misunderstanding you. You may find it useful to have someone to act on your behalf, such as your local county or borough councillor.

Thank you for your reply.

I have contacted disability support at college. She completely ignored my question (I explained my situation and asked about support) and replied with "you can't have funding as you already have a degree" (I don't) and "you need careers counselling". (why? I'm redoing my GCSEs)

The situation in FE colleges varies a lot.

Universities have been forced to "stand on their heads" to use a metaphor, in order to comply with DDA. This has resulted in the last year or so with some universities backing down on what they provide, because there haven't been the damaging porosecutions for non-compliance they were warned about. Indeed some universities have taken the view it is cheaper to risk the odd prosecution.

Colleges, being run by local authorities have been much slower to comply, and I suspect again the realisation that there are few prosecutions has encouraged the attitude that bare minimum is good enough. It may be that the college that is your own local option has failed to meet any significant obligations.

You could ask to see their disability policy. It might appear on their website but college websites are varied in what they show.

This is something perhaps for NAS to look into. In the current climate people need to advance their skills, and people on the autistic spectrum can benefit from enhanced qualifications. Institutions that impede this for disabled people need to be flagged.

Perhaps a NAS survey of FE colleges asking what services they provide might be an answer. NAS could then petition the relevant Minister to intervene.

But the NAS education pages should be able to help you get the right assistance, even if at the moment you haven't being diagnosed, but are meeting barriers with related conditions.

When I started there, I informed them that I have an eye condition that they have never heard of. I provided evidence, which they said wasn't good enough. I then had to get my GP to write me a letter, which she wasn't happy about.

Their diagnosis of Dyslexia came about because we all had to do screening for Dysexlia. I came back as borderline due to my reading difficulties. They decided then that I was Dyslexic and refused to grant me what it was I needed, claiming I didn't need it. I was then told to see the Education Psychologist to be assessed for Dyslexia. I only went just to get them to shut up, once he wrote and told them no. He wrote in his report that any issues I had were indeed related to my sight impairment. In his opinion, I can't be Dyslexic because my memory and logic are too good. I only failed on the logic test when there were pictures involved. (can't see detail) He said he'd expect that of someone who is sight impaired.

They decided that I shouldn't use a computer, because apparently that's what it says in one of the leaflets produced by RNIB - it says nothing of the sort. In fact, we're encouraged to lead as normal life as possible and many of us find that computers are easier to read than pieces of paper.

Doesn't sound professional at all, but then FE college disability support is still very variable. They are obliged to follow the DDA, but interpretation of that seems very varied.

How did they deduce you were dyslexic? Did they provide an assessment for dyslexia? Or was the person who saw you making a deduction because you preferred coloured paper to white - not a diagnostic for dyslexia even if many people with dyslexia have this preference.

Intrigued also that they deduced you shouldn't be using a computer.

I would advise checking again and making sure you see the actual disability support team at the college. It sounds like you saw someone in learning support who was trying to do additional things they were not qualified to do. Colleges have to comply with the DDA. The only problem may have been that you weren't enrolled on their courses, just asking about support with a view to doing so. But even then they must provide appropriate support.

When you enrol, or at least start the process, you may be able to ask for an assessment of special needs, and could further ask for a review of the possibility of autism. But unless they have carried out proper assessment procedures they shouldn't be telling you you have dyslexia - and why should someone with dyslexia not be able to use a computer?

They sound like a right bunch of cowboys.

I did that before and they were really awkward about it. They claimed that I'm Dyslexic (I'm not) and told me what help I need and what can & can't do. (apparently, I shouldn't be using a computer)

Unfortuantely, I don't have an official Autism diagnosis, which is going to make everything really difficult. And this is the only adult education college in the city; so I have no choice but to go there.

Talk to the disability support service at the college you propose to got to to study. They will be used to this sort of enquiry and may know about local support.

You may be able to ask for handouts on coloured paper as part of the college's obligation to disabled students.