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College Won't Buy Me A Laptop - What Do I DO?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited March 27 in Work & Study
I can't use computers with 15" monitors and the minimum I can use is 20". All the computers at college are 15".

I have asked if they'd buy me a laptop, so that I would be able to come in (if I need to) and do private study. I have been told that this isn't possible and that I'd just have to use the yellow monitor cover I was given. of course, this doesn't help much. So what do I do now? I can't afford to buy a laptop for myself. (they're a least £1200) They are aware that I'm unable to use computers with standard size monitors.
Post edited by JustV on
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    why can you not use 15" monitors? can you not just change the resolution?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They're far too small and strain my eyes.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Get some glasses then. Why should the govenment/college spend over a grand on just you?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    icey wrote: »
    Get some glasses then. Why should the govenment/college spend over a grand on just you?

    because shes registered blind/partially sighted, fuckwit
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Would it be possible to ask for a compromise and maybe equip one of the pc's with a larger monitor and dedicate it for yourself/peoples use who need it?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Talk to the students union
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    because shes registered blind/partially sighted, fuckwit

    Exactly. And glasses don't help anyway.

    Hellfire - they do have a computer with a large monitor, but it's being able to have access to it as and when I need it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In the meantime, why not ask them to change the windows theme to 'High visibility' and use the 'magnifier' (it's under accessibility accessories in the windows start menu).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    because shes registered blind/partially sighted, fuckwit
    ok then good idea genius, lets spend half a mil of tax payers money on new equipment for partially sighted people in colleges then! Re-so-lu-tion is what changes peoples perspective of a screen not so much the actual size of a monitor.
    And to the op: you must have a computer you can use adequately for you to be able to post on this site..could you not use that for college work?

    eta: good argumentitive skills scc, resorting to namecalling. How was i supposed to know the op was registered blind/partially sighted? i dont read every single post on thesite..(and shouldnt have to)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    icey wrote: »
    And to the op: you must have a computer you can use adequately for you to be able to post on this site..could you not use that for college work?

    There's no way I'm even going to attempt to transport my computer and monitor to college every day.
    lets spend half a mil of tax payers money on new equipment for partially sighted people in colleges then

    £1300 isn't half a million. And buying me a laptop with the screen size I need comes under the disability discrimination act.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Melian wrote: »
    There's no way I'm even going to attempt to transport my computer and monitor to college every day.
    Wasnt suggesting that..i meant could you take notes or something and do the work at home or wherever this computer is? (depends what course you do i suppose)

    £1300 isn't half a million. And buying me a laptop with the screen size I need comes under the disability discrimination act.
    I realise that, but you're surely not the only person in the country with this issue, why should you get special treatment is the point i was making, if the college buys one laptop for you then surely everyone else who needs the facility (in different colleges/courses) should get the same treatment..hence half a mil estimated
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    But I can't use their computers. The course is in Computing Studies, so there's no going to be no way I can do notes at college and do the rest of the work at home.

    I'm not getting special treatment. The thing is, I need to have a computer/laptop that has a monitor of 20" and be able to have access to it (at school) when I need it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    you mentioned that they have a PC with a bigger screen at the college already. why dont you speak to whoever is sorting this all out and ask them to draw you up some kind of timetable so it means that only you have access to it when you need it?

    if that doesnt work out then surely they'll have you buy you a laptop or provide partial funding towards one, if you can prove that its affecting your ability to be on the course.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    if you are doing a computing course then surely they would be able to arrange for the big screen/s to be in the labs you would be using, then perhaps they/you could buy a ftp/portable hard drive to transport you work/notes between uni and home
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I won't just need it in lessons though - I may need it during lunchtime or free periods.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    cant you change the resolution?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It won't make any difference. It will still strain my eyes.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If changing the resolution wouldn't make a difference, then neither would a larger monitor.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    arent computer labs open for use during lunch breaks....and if not couldnt they make allowances for you?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    FYI, 17"+ laptops aren't "at least" £1200...

    shop around!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I need a laptop with a 20" monitor.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    oh.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Melian wrote: »
    . And buying me a laptop with the screen size I need comes under the disability discrimination act.
    exactly but you may need to really push for it. Can you appeal?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    If a 15" monitor with the resolution altered still strains your eyes so will a laptop with a 20" monitor.

    Im sure youd get priority over the 'suitable' computer at your college given your circumstances.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Simple solution!!!

    Get them to buy you a monitor!

    Have you tried the usual high contrast accessibility options? Press Alt-Shift-PrtScrn :)

    Thing is, I would have guessed that if you are visually impared it will be the pixels per inch (as in, the level of detail) rather than the overall size of the screen. But that's just my 2p and having worked with someone who had a visual impairment the high contrast was pretty useful.

    You know, as funny as it might sound, its harder to read things on a 20" monitor because the pixels per inch typically are denser i.e. higher resolution. If you go for a 22" it will have less eye strain, the school should be able to get one for around £150. You want pixels per inch to be as low as possible really...

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_displays_by_pixel_density


    17" @ 1024x768 = 75
    17" @ 1280x1024 = 96
    20.1" @ 1680x1050 = 99

    Notebook displays are even higher so I can't see how they would help. I'm not trying to be patronising as obviously you know your needs best, but I know a lot about computers and have worked with people who have needed special arrangements because of visual impairments.
  • littlemissylittlemissy Posts: 9,972 Supreme Poster
    I taught a boy who is registered blind (he is completely blind in one eye and the other is rather deformed with partial vision) and has to have his nose on the screen to see anything (quite literally). He can't actually watch a normal tv or owt like that and he has a 15" screen (like all the other children) but the resolution is a million times bigger than everyone else.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Shyboy - if they were to get a monitor for me, would this not mess up the monitor/computer tower? My parents were just going to get me a 20" last year, but my brother said that something would happen if they were to do that.
    have never been able to read black text on a white background

    Me neither, but you can change the background colour.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So let me get this straight..you are expecting them to supply a 20+'' monitor for use at college when you don't own one of that size at home?????
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Melian wrote: »
    I need a laptop with a 20" monitor.

    You don't need a laptop at all.

    Whether you need a 20" monitor at all is highly debatable, as you could reduce the resolution on a smaller monitor to obtain much the same effect.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    theres no way on earth they should get you a laptop. waste of money.

    alls you need to do is change the resolution. FACT.

    Even if this was false why wouldnt they just get you a 20" monitor for £100 instead? You just need to plug it in every time you wanna use it.



    Either way, if changing the resolution will hurt your eyes so will a 20" monitor and a 20" laptop.

    http://www.eurowide-pc.co.uk
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