Visual Impairment
We feel that it is important for students and staff not affected by visual impairment to understand the disability. A brief overview of the effects are outlined below.
What is visual impairment?
People with a visual impairment experience varying degrees of sight loss and in the majority of cases, some sight will be retained.
The effects will not be obvious although very low or very bright lighting can cause problems. It may take longer to read printed material and special computer software of equipment may be required to read the material at all.
For an application interview, people with visual impairment are likely to need information about their interview in a format such as computer disk, large print, email, Braille or audio cassette.
For written tests, a visually impaired candidate should be consulted to find out their preferred format; dictating of answers may be necessary.
Assisting the visually impaired
We have a wealth of experience in supporting those with visual impairments and we are able to support students across the college on a variety of courses. The Disability Support Co-ordinator, Cindy Curtis will be available to assist you throughout your time at University College Falmouth. She can talk to you on the phone or correspond by email.
Whatever your level of disability, we can support you throughout your studies. University College Falmouth is committed to improving and extending support and facilities to students with disabilities. Assistance that we are able to provide to those with a visual impairment are outlined below:
- Specialist support staff trained in the needs of people with visual impairment
- Braille documents
- Speech Synthesiser facility for IT
- Staff development to ensure that staff are aware of problems faced by visually impaired students
- Awareness raising for student groups
- All new signage undertaken in braille
- A number of large PC monitors, magnifiers and CCTV facilities
- Special provision at examinations
In the classroom the tutors work sympathetically with the students and handouts and other papers are enlarged. Tutors are asked to provide copies of course materials in enlarged typeface wherever possible.
Note-taking support for students requiring transcription of large quantities of course material to audio-tape or to disk for enlargement is arranged and funded from the Disabled Student Allowance.
Some students require special arrangements for examinations so please talk to us about your disability as soon as possible. If you have already had special arrangements for previous examinations it would be helpful for us to know about these. We will, of course, require medical evidence of need, in order to be able to give a student special arrangements.
Accessibility Service contacts
Gaynor Astbury - Accessibility Services Manager
Tel: 01326 370443 (ext 1443)
email: gaynor.astbury@falmouth.ac.uk
Sophie Atherton - Accessibility Adviser - Tremough
Tel: 01326 253629 (ext 3629)
email: sophie.atherton@falmouth.ac.uk
Mel Dove - Accessibility Adviser - Woodlane
Tel: 01326 213737 (ext 3737)
email: mel.dove@falmouth.ac.uk
Tel: 01326 254149
email: susanna.pope@falmouth.ac.uk
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