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ABILITY PLUS

September 1997, Issue No. 14
Newsletter for Students with Special Needs.

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There is quite a lot of information to pass on to you all and I’m not sure where to start! Maybe the most important thing is the issue of special arrangements for mid Semester Exams and in class tests. If you read nothing else please read this!

There has been confusion and distress for people over this issue recently, so I will set out the procedure here.

Mid-Semester Special Exams procedure

• Find out whether the examinations office or the department are running the mid semester exam or test.
• If it’s the examination office it will be listed on a board at the Examinations Office, Lower Ground Floor, Melville Hall. You then need to obtain new paper work from me for each midsemster exam and take it to the exams office who will provide the special arrangements.
• If it is run by the department you will need new paper work from me for each exam and should take this to your lecturer who is responsible for putting in place the special arrangements.
• Finally it is your responsibility to check with the relevant area (either exams or your lecturer) 2 or 3 days before your exam to see if arrangements are in place.

If you have permanent arrangements in place for end of semester and end of year these will remain but not for mid semester exams.

Scholarships

I have received the following information:

June Opie Fellowship

This fellowship is administered by the University of Auckland and is available to citizens/permanent residents of Australia, New Zealand and Canada who have a severe disability and who are intending to undertake Graduate study. Amount NZ$10,000, tenable for 1 year. It is expected that research will help further ideas and technology to benefit all people with a disability.

Contact Scholarships Office Unit Auckland,
Fax: 64 9 373 7610;
email: m.lovellsmith@auckland.ac.nz.
Closing date: 1 October 1997.

Telstra Equal Opportunity Scholarship

This is another scholarship that has come to my attention, however, the closing date has past for next year (August 29th).

It is for undergraduate students studying a degree relevant to the telecommunications area. Open to people from non English speaking background, ATSI students and people with a disability.
Contact Karen Stewart, Ph: 03 9634 3448.

Left Handed Chair with Writing Table

Following discussions with the Faculties Business Office they have purchased a chair with a left handed writing tablet. Any student who would like to trial this please contact me. The new seating in the “tank” has tablets that are larger which should be easier for left handed people to use.

Musicians and Injuries

I was recently made aware of a useful web site on this issue:
http://www.engr.unl.edu/eeshop/music.html
There are a number of sites on this and a search would be very rewarding.

Accommodation Issues

Next year there will be some bursaries targeted at students with a disability which will approximately halve the cost of rental in a university owned hall or college. Interested students should contact me for an application form towards the end of the year but they will be administered by the University Accommodation Service in Bryan Lewis Cresent.

Transitional Accommodation Service

This organisation provides transitional accommodation in two houses in the ACT for people with a physical or sensory disability who want assistance in moving out of home. It may also take people on a temporary basis while looking for wheelchair accessible housing in the community.
Contact: Kate Wells. 6286 8074/015 269082

Careers Seminar March 1998

This year and next year we will be working on designing a web page for graduates with disabilities in the Careers and Employment Office which will include links to other employment sites on the web for people with disabilities.

There will also be a Careers seminar held for students with disabilities around the 16th of March next year and I will send out more information at a later date but please keep this in mind as it will cover lots of issues pertaining to employment.

Work Experience

The ACT Volunteer centre in Curtin is happy to place students with disabilities as volunteers (sorry no payment, but out of pocket travel expenses can be reimbursed) in a variety of places. In the current employment situation working as a volunteer is one way of adding to your C.V. and giving you experience in a variety of jobs.
Contact: 6281 6669.

Office of Disability
(Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services)

I note this office “runs a national disability conference funding program to help people with disabilities attend relevant conferences in Australia” and produces a free newsletter (freecall to go on mailing list 1800 630 839).
Email contact: Office-disability@health.gov.au. Ph: 02 628 98348.
Internet Home Page:
http://www.health.gov.au./ood

Modems for loan

The DSU has now purchased 5 modems which we are prepared to loan to those students who are frequently unable to come on to campus because of the effects of their disability. Neil Rice will install these and he may be contacted on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday up till 12 midday on 6249 2344.

We have also purchased a new computer for the Special Needs Room in Chifley Library. This room has recently been fumigated at the request of a student.

Dmail Listserver

Students at UTS with disabilities have linked up with other universities to form a listserver called dmail. If you would like to join send a message to:
dmail-request@progsoc.uts.edu.au.
In the body of the message type subscribe dmail.

Another listserver for students is:
swde-l@listserv.buffalo.edu.
In the body of the message type
Sub swdhe-l your first name and last name.

NICAN QANTUS Concession Card

This is available through NICAN Freecall 1800 806 769 and is for anyone with a disability who needs assistance while travelling on domestic flights. It means that a person with a disability and their carer can travel together for the price of one fare. Application forms need to be signed by the carer.

Pain Clinic

I have information on pain management at Canberra Hospital and if any one needs this services please contact me.

Enclosed Survey

We have recently completed the Disability Action Plan which can be read on the home page URL. http://www.anu.edu.au/disabilities/ Part of this includes the need to undertake a survey of students to assess your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the services ANU provides for students with disabilities.

I urge you to take some time to fill this in and return it to me so that we can improve the service you.

Nominate a Lecturer for an Excellence in Teaching Award

If you feel that you have been taught by a lecturer who has shown excellence in her or his knowledge and approach to equity issues in relation to students, I would be interested in nominating such a staff member for both the ANU awards for excellence in teaching and the CAUT awards which are national awards. Please have a think about this and let me know so that we can reward and recognise good practise in this area.

New Building

Plans to move the disability Unit to a new building on top of the Commonwealth Bank which will be close to the students association and more central for everyone are in the discussion stage. It is unlikely that anything will happen till the end of 1998 or 1999.

This will be the last newsletter for 1997. Remember to check on your special arrangements for exams 2-3 weeks before they are due and have a happy holiday.