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

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  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    she doesnt have issues with computers, she just needs a large screen
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    she doesnt have issues with computers, she just needs a large screen

    I'm not sure why we're still debating it, but I got the impression that she struggles reading the text on a screen and she struggles using a mouse. It's neither here nor there really.
    It's a bit perplexing to me though, as to why someone who cant view a monitor, who cant use a normal keyboard and mouse, would choose to do a course in computer studies?
    There is absolutely no reason why she shouldn't - I know pleanty of people who have visual impairments who use computers every day as part of thier jobs. There is pleanty of technology avaliable to make this possible. Its just that Melian is having problems accesing it.
    Yea I agree, it was just a sidethought I had if she has so many issues with computers, why do a specific computing course out of choice? Not knocking it or saying she shouldn't, just a bit unusual.

    I don't see why I should have to justify my being perplexed, or even Melian having to justify why she chose it. It's just one of those things. But please, lets all continue to discuss this, evidently its a more productive discussion than the rest of the thread.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't understand why DSA won't do an assessment on you Melian? I had an assessment (I'm studying a BA (HONS) Primary Teaching, Early Years degree with QTS at uni) and I got offered an assessment for when I was very depressed. The Uni helped me out filling in the form, and then gave me the assessment at Uni. The man who did my assessment was bending over backwards to purchase ANYTHING that could help me cope through. The final outcome of this was the funding for Mentoring, which I receive an hour a week, all paid for.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    your-babe wrote: »
    I don't understand why DSA won't do an assessment on you Melian? I had an assessment (I'm studying a BA (HONS) Primary Teaching, Early Years degree with QTS at uni) and I got offered an assessment for when I was very depressed. The Uni helped me out filling in the form, and then gave me the assessment at Uni. The man who did my assessment was bending over backwards to purchase ANYTHING that could help me cope through. The final outcome of this was the funding for Mentoring, which I receive an hour a week, all paid for.

    I think this could be the difference between college and university funding.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    g_angel wrote: »
    I think this could be the difference between college and university funding.

    Which explains it, but should there be a difference?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    DSA is a higher education fund rather than a further education.

    In essence, you get it for uni rather than for colleges, as colleges should provide the necessary equipment whereas the uni provides the teaching but any extra equipment you provide 'yourself' (well the LEA gives you it).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Ah, I see! Thankyou!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Randomgirl wrote: »
    I can't believe that some of you guys are even going as far as suggesting that melian shouldn't be studying her course because of her disability. Plenty of disabled people have computer adapted in special ways, there are just so many jobs that would be open to melian at the end of her course, it seems like just another way for people to have a go.

    It's not really that, what really pisses me off about Melian's behaviour is that she knows it takes ages to load up on a laptop and adjust settings on there but still complains that it'll waste too much time to do it on a monitor? And as for people not reading signs on a computer, the teacher will just tell that person that no one is allowed to use it.

    I'm with Mist on this one.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Update:

    They did agree to the laptop, but said it would take 2 months. Until then, I was expected to use the college computers. I did this for a few weeks, but ended up with headaches/mild migraines & was getting tireed very quickly. (it is normal for people with Nystagmus to get tired quicker than people who don't have it)

    I explained this to the disability co-ordinator. She askedme to see her and said she has something else I could use - it was a memory stick with a piece of magnifying coftware. I can't use that because it messes up the computer graphics, only works on a few computers and doesn't allow me to do certain things.

    I spoke to my mum last night and asked her if I could use her claptop. (college computers are 15", mum's laptop is 17") I got told no, because she'd promised to give it to my sister and was under the impression I was getting a laptop.

    I've been told I can use the computers in the library, teo of which are 20". But there's a teacher who talks for a bit, sets us work and then talks for a while (usually going over the work and seeing if we understand it) - meaning I'd miss quite a lot of important stuff.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Will they swap a library monitor into the room the teacher is in?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Did they explain why it would take two months?! If they've agreed to it, they should be able to sort that out quicker than that.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In what way does the magnifying software mess up the graphics?

    I use something similar occasionally and once I've resized the windows it works fine.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In what way does the magnifying software mess up the graphics?

    I use something similar occasionally and once I've resized the windows it works fine.

    Also, on top of this, my understanding of Melian's condition means that magnifying software doesn't actually help much as it's the screen area that is the main issue due to her field of vision, so it's not an acceptable solution.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    g_angel wrote: »
    Also, on top of this, my understanding of Melian's condition means that magnifying software doesn't actually help much as it's the screen area that is the main issue due to her field of vision, so it's not an acceptable solution.

    :yes: Before saying anything, I did change the size of the font on the desktop and tbh, it made very little difference.
    In what way does the magnifying software mess up the graphics?

    Any pictures go blurry. It changes the colours as well.:confused:
    Did they explain why it would take two months?!

    They need to order it from a supplier.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Melian wrote: »
    :yes: Before saying anything, I did change the size of the font on the desktop and tbh, it made very little difference.

    I know. I understand changing the font size won't help - I figured that out when you told me what your condition is. Information goes a long way in helping people to understand :)

    Any pictures go blurry. It changes the colours as well.:confused:

    Yeah, that's because a magnifier won't change the resolution of anything, and so enlarging an image without increasing resolution will just make it look less detailed, if closer up. Unsure about the colour changing though.
    They need to order it from a supplier.

    Tell them that's utter crap. They should be able to source one MUCH quicker than that. I'm wondering if they're stalling, hoping that their magnifier 'solution' will work.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    melian did you try the high contrast visibility settings? Might help as a stop gap before you get the laptop.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    g_angel wrote: »
    be able to source one MUCH quicker than that. I'm wondering if they're stalling, hoping that their magnifier 'solution' will work.

    Once the order actuallly gets placed it won't take 2 months, but getting authorisation for payment for one etc etc can easily take that one.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Once the order actuallly gets placed it won't take 2 months, but getting authorisation for payment for one etc etc can easily take that one.

    I suppose I have got too used to the cushy deal of working for a wealthy small/medium company - when I want something, I ask for it and I get it. Bah. Stupid red tape.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    g_angel wrote: »
    I'm wondering if they're stalling, hoping that their magnifier 'solution' will work.

    I'm wondering this as well. It does seem that my tutors are more concerned about this than the diability co-ordinator.

    They did say that they saw an article in the paper about someone who used this piece of software and it was ok for them. However, I have no idea if they had the same problems as me.
    melian did you try the high contrast visibility settings? Might help as a stop gap before you get the laptop.

    Yes I did.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My God. This is STILL going on?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    kate- wrote: »
    My God. This is STILL going on?

    No - Melian was just updating us. Nobody is having a go.


    Chill.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    In some companies 2 months is actually a quick process to get a laptop.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Mist wrote: »
    In some companies 2 months is actually a quick process to get a laptop.

    Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeesus. Even in the biggest corporations I have worked for, things have been dealt with in a matter of weeks, as opposed to months. Thankfully!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They've finally decided that they're goingto buy me 2 20" monitors. (I'm in two different rooms for lessons)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Melian wrote: »
    They've finally decided that they're goingto buy me 220" monitors. (I'm in two different rooms for lessons)

    To be honest, I still think that would make the most sense as lugging that big laptop around would have half killed you.

    Either way, I am glad they have resolved the situation. :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    They said the same, but I don't walk to college and it would stay in their office. (or my tutor's office)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds like a good solution all round. If the lap top was going to stay on the premises makes as much sense to have the monitors, and they'll be useable all the time and can be maintained by the IT guys much more easily.

    Fingers crossed they arrive soon!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My only concern now is that I can't change the backgound. Their background is white & blue and I can't read that. Apparantely, it would need to changed every lesson.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Surely it can be changed every lesson then.

    Once someone's worked out how to do it it should be pretty straight forward to repeat. They may even be able to add it to your profile on your log in as it will be a compluter setting rather than a screen setting.
  • Indrid ColdIndrid Cold Posts: 16,688 Skive's The Limit
    Operating systems (including windows nowadays) are multi-user. Which means that even if there's only one computer, each user can have their own preferences.
    So if your college is actually taking advantage of the multi-user capabilites of modern operating systems, all you'd have to do is log in with your personal username and password, change the settings once, and since then it will always be the same for you without affecting how other users want it.
    If your college isn't taking advantage of the multi-user capabilites of modern OSes, then... that's stupid, they should.
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