Newsletter for Students with Disabilities at Flinders University
Number 1, 2012
If you would like this newsletter in an alternative format please contact the Disability Service disability@flinders.edu.au
In this issue:
Exam reminder
Student network
Boost your performance!
WAM Program – work experience opportunity
Cheap textbooks
Non-Visual Desktop Access
Negotiating extensions for assignments
Cheap computers
Access Park outside Central Library
Listen to PDFs with Adobe Read Out Loud
Assistance re print disability
Career information
DIRC
Independent Living Institute
Disability Advisor (DA) contact information
ALTERNATIVE ARRANGEMENTS FOR EXAMS – 1st semester 2012
The closing date for applications for alternative exam arrangements on the grounds of a health condition, learning difficulty or disability is Wednesday 16th May.
Unfortunately, applications received after that date cannot be accepted.
If you already have an Access Plan that covers exams, you don’t need to do anything. We will write to you to confirm your alternative arrangements.
If you do not have an Access Plan, you need to see a Disability Advisor (DA) before 16th May. You will need to provide documentation of your disability - this can be a letter from your treating professional, or they can complete
Disability Verification Form 2011 (DOC 582KB)
If you are unable to get an appointment with a DA, you can also see a counsellor or a doctor in Health, Counselling & Disability Services to negotiate alternative arrangements for exams.
Phone 8201 2118 for an appointment.
For general information about examinations check the web site
www.flinders.edu.au/current-students/exams-assess-results/examinations/examinations_home.cfm
Cross-institutional topics
If you have exams at another university, you MUST negotiate alternate arrangements with the Disability Service at that university.
Exam venues may change
Please be aware that the alternative exam venues can change every semester, depending on where the Exams Office can book suitable rooms. It is essential that you read your letter carefully and make sure you know where to go for your exam. Mistaking the time, date or venue does not give grounds to apply for supplementary exams.
Alternative Abilities - Student Inclusion Network
Some students are forming a network for students of alternative abilities. If you are (or know of) an alternative abilities student
who would like to support their peers, share knowledge and ideas, network, and socialize in a safe environment please contact
Joanne or Nathan.
Joanne – chua0073@flinders.edu.au
Nathan – higg0137@flinders.edu.au
Boost your performance!
The Counselling Service is running some free lunchtime workshops this year that could make an enormous difference to your
student experience. Themes include ‘Putting off procrastination’ (2nd May), ‘Relaxation strategies’ (16th May), and ‘Peak
performance for exams’ (29th May).
The workshops are held on the Plaza, room 0013 (under the Library stairs) at 12 noon – 1pm.
Check out the times at: /current-students/healthandcounselling/workshops.cfm
Willing and Able Mentoring Program (WAM)
The WAM Program assists students who have a disability to gain the confidence, clarity of career direction, and those vital networks to succeed in the transition from study to work.
WAM has been running successfully for nine years, and now has a comprehensive bank of keen mentor organisations throughout Australia, including corporate, government and smaller organisations, who see the program as one of mutual benefit. They are committed to on-going participation in the program.
For more information on the program please have a look at the website:
The Disability Service will fund places in the program for up to 5 students, so if you are interested in participating, please email: disability@flinders.edu.au
| Cheap textbooks - Textbook Exchange |
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NVDA
Non-Visual Desktop Access (NVDA) is a free screen-reading product for Microsoft Windows developed by NV Access, an Australian non-profit organisation, set up and run by blind and vision-impaired people.
NVDA allows blind and vision impaired people to access computers running Microsoft Windows, for no more cost than their sighted peers.
More info on NVDA can be found at http://www.nvda-project.org, and
info about NV Access can be found at http://www.nvaccess.org.
To try and secure funding into the future, particularly within Australia, they need a good idea of exactly how NVDA is being used on a day-to-day basis.
If you are willing to help out by having either a chat or just airing your thoughts on the matter, please contact Mick on:
phone: 07 5667 8372, or email: mick@nvaccess.org
Negotiating extensions
Remember - it is your responsibility to discuss your Access Plan with lecturers and provide them with a copy at the start of each semester, even if you think you probably won’t need to use it. By following proper process you will find it easier to negotiate with lecturers when you do need an extension.
Having an Access Plan does not guarantee you an extension – you still must follow the specified process for your course. The Access Plan merely allows you to negotiate without having to provide further medical evidence in most circumstances. You need to be aware that in some disciplines (particularly those that are practice-based), the nature of the assessment may mean that you will be required to provide a medical certificate.
Cheap computers!
Aspitech is a participant in the Community Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher Program (Community MAR).
The primary goal of the Community MAR program is to increase the number of low-cost computers available to seniors, people with a disability, eligible charitable organisations, eligible academic users, and other community users. This includes all students or Australian apprentices receiving ABSTUDY, Austudy or the Youth Allowance.
For more information check out the website: http://www.aspitech.com.au/mar
More cheap computers!
Green Pc is a not for profit social enterprise aiming to assist people gain access to quality refurbished computers at affordable prices.
The only eligibility requirement is that the recipient of the PC is a Health Care or Pension Card holder, a full time student, low-income earner or someone who faces a disadvantage of some form.
For further information check out the Green PC Web site at http://www.greenpc.com.au or call toll free on 1300 306645.
20-minute access park at Central Library
This car park is strictly for 20 minutes only - if you need longer you must park in car park 5.
The park outside the library was designed purely to enable people with permits to drop off or collect books, hence the 20-minute time limit cannot be extended.
Listen to PDFs with Adobe Reader ‘Read Out Loud’
The Read Out Loud feature reads aloud the text in a PDF, including the text in comments and alternate text descriptions for images and fillable fields. In tagged PDFs, content is read in the order in which it appears in the document’s logical structure tree. In untagged documents, the reading order is inferred, unless a reading order has been specified in the Reading preferences.
Read Out Loud uses the available voices installed on your system. If you have SAPI 4 or SAPI 5 voices installed from text-to-speech or language applications, you can choose them to read your PDFs.
Note: Read Out Loud isn’t a screen reader, and some operating systems may not support it.
Activate or deactivate Read Out Loud
You must activate Read Out Loud before you can use it. You can deactivate Read Out Loud to free system resources and improve performance of other operations.
Do one of the following:
- Choose View > Read Out Loud > Activate Read Out Loud
or press Shift+Ctrl+Y/Shift+Command+Y.
- Choose View > Read Out Loud > Deactivate Read Out Loud
or press Shift+Ctrl+Y/Shift+Command+Y.
Assistance for print disability
These websites have useful information for students with print or learning disabilities, and some have free downloads of screen-reading programs.
http://www.apple.com/accessibility/learning/
http://www.sharewareconnection.com/titles/text-reader.htm
http://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/festival/onlinedemo.html
Career information
Flinders University Graduate careers website – go to the menu ‘Information For’ and click on ‘Students with disabilities’.
Education to Employment – lots of info for students with disabilities who are about to graduate.
http://pubsites.uws.edu.au/ndco/employment/
SA Career Consultants – Disability Open Employment Service Provider
Multiple Solutions – employment specialists
http://www.multiplesolutions.com.au/
Disability Information & Resource Centre (DIRC)
Independent Living Institute
Lots of useful information at this website:
http://www.independentliving.org/
Disability Advisors (DA) contact information
The DAs are located in Health, Counselling & Disability Services
Level 3, Student Centre
Paula Williams (Monday – Friday)
Phone 8201 2943 (direct line)
8201 2118 (to make an appointment)
Email disability@flinders.edu.au
Toni Crisci (Monday - Thursday)
Phone 8201 2118 (Health, Counselling & Disability Services)
Email toni.crisci@flinders.edu.au
Appointments are available most weekdays. However, the DAs are often out of the office so appointments are essential. Many
queries do not require an appointment, so you might like to email a DA in the first instance - an appointment can be made later if
necessary.
To receive services you need to provide documentation of your disability. This can be a recent letter from your doctor or treating
professional, or you can ask them to complete
Disability Verification Form 2011 (DOC 582KB) It is helpful if you bring this to the first appointment, as it will expedite the process.
All information is treated as strictly confidential. (/current-students/healthandcounselling/confidentiality.cfm)
