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The Student Experience: Physical and Sensory Impairments

Physical Impairments

In considering the student experience we first need to accept that this will differ from individual to individual and at the same time vary depending on the context in which the student may find themselves. For the purposes of this case study, we have broken these contexts down to:

  • General organisation, timekeeping, attendance etc – knowing where learning is taking place, getting to places on time, access to and use of facilities* (see Appendix 1)
  • Student life / social activities – stigma/feeling of otherness,lack of awareness,difficulty with access to certain activities and facilities, fatigue
  • Research and reading – access to library resources, need for frequent breaks, fatigue, unproductive days
  • Exams and timed assessments – slower writing or typing speed, need for frequent breaks, fatigue, extra time needed, requirement for alternative assessment, access to rooms
  • Placement, work experience and field trips - access to facilities, pace of activities, need for breaks, travelling distances
  • Seminars/Tutorials – accessible learning spaces, involvement in activities and discussions, engagement
    • Group workaccessible learning spaces, involvement in activities and discussions, engagement, use of equipment
    • Presentations – access (visual and audio) to materials
    • Lab work – accessible learning spaces, involvement in activities and discussions, use of equipment
  • Online learninglistening to or viewing teaching, keeping pace, access to the technology, access to resources.

Sensory Impairments

In considering the student experience we first need to accept that this will differ from individual to individual and at the same time vary depending on the context where the student may find themselves. For the purposes of this case study we have broken these contexts down to:

  • General organisation, timekeeping, attendance etc – getting to places on time, access to and use of facilities, accounting for additional time it takes to complete tasks, orientation in new environments
  • Student life / social activities – stigma,awareness,access to activities and facilities, orientation in new environments
  • Research and reading – access to library resources and other course materials, access to appropriate formats (braille, large print or audio books), accounting for extra time
  • Composition, referencing and proof reading – slower writing or typing speed, need for frequent breaks, English as a second language
  • Examinations and timed assessments – slower writing or typing speed, need for frequent breaks, extra time needed, papers in alternative formats, requirement for alternative assessment
  • Placement, work experience and field trips - access to facilities, pace of activities, workplace awareness, use of technical equipment, following instructions
  • In class
    • Lecturesaccess to materials, receiving information, involvement in activities and discussions, engagement, note-taking, knowing what they have and have not missed
    • Seminars/Tutorials – accessible learning spaces, involvement in activities and discussions, engagement
    • Group workaccessible learning spaces, involvement in activities and discussions, engagement, use of equipment
    • Presentations – access (visual and audio) to materials
    • Lab work – accessible learning spaces, involvement in activities and discussions, use of equipment, following instructions

Online learningaccessing online materials (e.g. captions), taking notes and listening/participating in learning activities, lip-reading, checking understanding, keeping pace, knowing what they have and have not missed.

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