The provisional title is for this project is:
Accessing Materials: making appropriate and effective 'reasonable' adjustments for print impaired students in Higher Education.
The idea for this research began life as part of my MA dissertation and before being redrafted into a more complete PhD research proposal. This research is based on the social model of disability which draws attention to the difference between disability and impairment and points to how "society ... disables physically impaired people" 1. However, this study takes a broader view of disability suggesting that a person with an impairment becomes disabled not only by the society in which they live but also by the attitudes and actions of others.
It will look at the experiences of students with print impairments (primarily visual impairment and dyslexia), as well as consulting with the staff responsible for making 'reasonable' adjustments, campaigning and drafting policies designed to meet the requirements of the Special Education Needs and Disability Act (SENDA) 2001.
Whilst the emphasis is on accessing 'materials' I am using a very broad definition of the term that includes not only written sources (e.g. text books, journal articles, etc.) but also spoken ones (e.g. lectures, seminars, conferences). This means that in addition to looking at the 'reasonable' adjustments that are made to render standard print or web-based materials accessible to different students, I am also interested in the way in which particular teaching styles and the adjustments that are made to them affect students' experiences of Higher Education.
I have now completed my data collection and am starting to analyse it and present my preliminary findings. However I am still interested in receiving comments on my work. Please contact me.
1. UPIAS, 1976, 'The Fundamental Principles of Disability' p14, available from: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/disability-studies/archiveuk/UPIAS/fundamental%20principles.pdf
