Disabled Student Allowence

[Ila_J]

I'm in receipt of the DSA for my masters course, which I started last September. I was approved based largely on a report from an occupational therapist which had been done in my previous workplace, and as per that report was given a sit/stand desk which I found to be my saviour when I was still doing office work. I've also got a fancy chair to support my back and neck, a laptop (I didn't have one previously) and printer so I can work in my room using my lovely desk and chair, and some voice recognition software so I can give my achey shoulders a rest from typing when they play up. It is well worth applying for!

[FunkyPhysicist]

Had my ergonomic assessment yesterday and added to the list of stuff that the DSA assessor recommended, next years study should be sooooo much easier! Just have to hope that student finance approves the list!

[loosebones]

how long does it take for them to approve it once the assessment has been completed and sent off?

[FunkyPhysicist]

Hi loosebones! I had my DSA assessment (the general one) on the 8th July and received my confirmation from student loans yesterday (10th August). After speaking to the supplier yesterday I should be receiving most my bits and bobs in around 2 weeks!! I will let you know exactly when they do turn up to give you some idea of how long it takes. I still am waiting to hear about the ergonomic kit (desk and chair) but I am hoping those will be delivered to halls instead of to my home! Was a bit dubious about applying at first but it has been surprisingly straightforward and everyone involved has been amazingly helpful - coming up with ideas/equipment to help me that I never imagined existed! Next year should be sooo much easier!

[loosebones]

Thanks. After a meeting with the disability coordinator on tuesday, I came home to find a letter from the finance people saying it's been approved so I've now sent to letter off to the company who do the supplies and just need to wait for them to contact me about the equipment. Getting excited now - guess I'd best go and confess what I'm doing in another section as I've kept quiet so far

[FunkyPhysicist]

A load of my equipment is turning up next Thursday and I am soooooo excited and can't wait!! I hope yours comes quickly too loosebones!

[sheppeyescapee]

Got a phone call saying my new desk is coming on the 24th It's massive, about twice the size of my current one.

[Pootje]

Thats really goos news!

[notsparklynow]

Hiya again

I'm a part-time research student (and a full time teacher) and have recently started a 5 year part-time course. I finished a 2 year part-time masters degree about a year and a half ago and with hindsight I can see the difficulties I faced then and know they will be worse now as my physical pain is worse now.

I've got a meeting on Friday with the disabled students advisor to see how the university can support me. I'm going to take the Access to work ergonomic assessment report and technical assessment report with me as they explain that I need a special chair, height-adjustable desk, special mouse and keyboard and voice recognition software. I know my uni has an assitive technology room, but it's not in the main library. My ATW technical assessor suggested that they should have the assistive technology in the library if it's going to be truly assisstive (good point!) I know I can request someone to find or carry books for me in the library. What else can I ask for help with? What can I reasonably expect? At my last day there, I was really tired and really needed to have a rest at lunch time, but had nowhere to go, so I folded my arms on my table, put my head in between them and slept for half an hour. Some of the other students wondered if I was ok! I felt a lot better afterwards, and I imagine I may need to nap again. I believe there is a medical room where students can request access to for doing stretches etc - could I ask to go in there and sleep?

My uni is in London and it takes me about an hour to get in (and 3 trains) so during rush hour it's not fun as you can imagine. (When I did my undergrad degree in London 15 years ago I used to have panic attacks when the trains were too full so I ended up living in halls to avoid the commute until I could drive). I have to go in twice a month nowadays and have a family at home so moving closer isn't feasible. I need to take my laptop as if I have a lot of note-taking to do in lectures it's easier to type than handwrite - so I have a lovely laptop bag on wheels that looks like a backpack and I can fit books and my folder into it etc. This can be difficult to manoevre when having to go up stairs to change lines on the underground (there is no route that can avoid this - I've tried to find one) but it means I can take all my stuff with me.
Is there any help I can get with this?

Would I be eligble for DSA as I'm part-time and doing a postgrad research degree? I don't really know what help I could / should get and want to make sure I mention everything necessary in my meeting on Friday.

Thanks a lot

[Rosie]

Hiya

The only thing I can suggest is staing your problems, and asking them to come up with the solutions. If you make it clear you will work with them to find solutions, you can expect them to put in some thought as well. For example, say that you need access to somewher quiet where you can rest in comfort, but let them suggest where this would be.
Would a dictaphone help with note-taking? I know some other students on here find them invaluable. Sometimes it is necessary to have more than one set of equipment (chairs etc) if you work in more than one place, or arrange to have your equipment move for you.

Rosie

[lisan]

can you receive DSA if your studying a DIPHE course and receiving a NHS bursary ? when reading the claim form it states you can only claim if you are receiving a bursary to a minimum of fees only, i think my brains deterioating cos i cant get my head round what this means lol

[cat117]

Got my aproval letter on Friday telling me to make an appointment to have my needs assesment - rang up on Monday of this week and was told there was an opening on Thursday(tomorrow) if I wanted it? So hopefully I should find the next semester much easier. I have no idea what they can give me to help beyond a dictaphone (the only thing my key-worker mentioned) but fingers crossed!

[cat117]

! Today was so productive!

Saw the assessor (who was lovely) and she is recomending for me:

A dictaphone
A wheeled bag/trolley thing to carry my laptop
A bed tray thing with adjustable tilt to hold books (so I can even read in bed if I'm feeling rubbish)
Dragon Naturally Speaking and a wireless headset so that I can dictate and move around because I'm not so great at sitting still for long periods
A new touchpad-mouse thing so that I can use it where a traditional mouse would be to relieve the strain on my hands
A keyboard guard to allow me to rest my hands on the keyboard without pressing the buttons
£75 a year in printer/photocopying allowance so I don't have to carry books home
£100 a year in printer cartridge allowance
£500 (!) in taxi allowance for if I need to take a taxi to Uni some days
PLUS she's going to ask the Uni to extend all my library loans by at least a week and email my lecturers asking them to let me get up and stretch during lectures

Oh and she's going to look into the possibility of me having a friend come on a 2week unsupervised residential in Italy at Easter as a support worker (because I'd be too embarased to have a stranger come with us) and hiring a wheelchair whilst I'm out there to make it easier for me to get around (because there will be a a LOT of walking involved).

Applying for DSA was the best thing I've done all year, seriously think about doing so if you haven't already. Now I just need to sit back and wait to see if they aprove the list she's sending them

[persephone]

DSA is AWESOME. It can make such a difference. I have a laptop, netbook, printer, 3 ergonomic chairs, funding for someone to get books in the library for me- it's amazing really. We are so lucky in the UK. America has no equivalent at all, as I have found out from friends out there.

Notsosparklynow- YES you still qualify. I am doing a research degree too, and it doesn't matter whether you are FT or PT.

Are you funded? Your funding body will pay for the assessment and equipment. For undergrads it's their local education authority, but for graduates it's their funding body I think, and lea if self-funding. Either way, you're entitled to this stuff.

PM me if you want to ask anything else about DSA. I have been in receipt of it now for about 6 years.

[Laurentius]

I am currently at University and get DSA though the assessment was a long time ago and didn't take account of my physical disabilities that have increased since my assesment.

For instance I was granted a laptop but that became unsuitable as it was too heavy to carry around.

My claim is all a bit in limbo at the moment as the administration has recently been transferred from the local authority to student finance England, who have in the traditions of large bureaucracies "lost my papers" when agencies need paying for my support. I am hoping that I can get my physical difficulties factored in with regard to travel costs but everytime I go to my Dr for medical confirmation of anything I am charged a fee for that. It's frustrating.

My University has granted me a disabled parking permit however which means I can park within the main campus and in the reserved bays rather than at the main car park which is some further distance away from where I generally need to be.