Can we find the missing piece? A survey of students who have received the Disabled Students' Allowances [DSAs]: Non-Medical Helper Support

Abstract

This paper is a report of some of the results from an on-line survey of disabled students conducted between September 2011 and February 2012. The respondents claimed the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) between 2006 – February 2012. Respondents were asked 28 questions about what support they received and their opinions on the usefulness and effectiveness of the assistive technology and human support they received. This report focuses in particular on the data concerning the human support students received and their views about that support. The results indicated some issues around students’ expectations about the support they receive for their degree courses. The timing and the types of support available mean that a proportion of the students do not take up the support offered and there is still a debate as to whether the use of assistive technology should be included within study skills support. The report concludes with some recommendations concerning potential improvements to services for disabled students. Some preliminary results from this survey were reported at the NADP Annual Conference 2012. The NADP Annual 2013 Conference presentations provided two further more detailed analyses and the delegates had an opportunity to conduct some thematic analyses of some of the qualitative data.