Bearing Disability: My DSA Reassessment

Today’s post is about my DSA reassessments. DSA is the abbreviation of Disabled Student Allowance. It helps disabled students get the equipment that they need to complete the course they are on.

Pre-2015, this included:

• specialist computers,
• note-takers,
• scribes.

These are no longer included (unless in extreme circumstances, I think). However, you are still able to get a lot of help. Some of my equipment included:

• a book chair to help me physically read books and change the pages,
• a stylus and keyboard for my iPad,
• a rucksack trolley bag (absolute lifesaver),
• extensions on coursework and library loans,
• a non-medical assistant to help with physical tasks should I want one,
• specialist mentors and support,
• claroread.

There are many more things that DSA can help students with, this is just a brief list.

My experience

When I first started university, I had my first DSA assessment. The assessor was really friendly and listened to everything (PIP should take note). Judging by what I said I struggled with, the assessor came up with equipment that she believed would help me. Most of it did, some of it I discovered was more hassle than without it. Sorry iPad keyboard and stylus…

My first year went successful (on the academic part, anyway). I feel the equipment really helped me during my studies, and my favourite was my rucksack bag.

However, in my second year, I struggled. There was less practical work; there was more theory work. Not only that but one of my lectures started at 5 pm and finished at 9 pm. It was hard to get food in between this time and this encouraged my anxiety to peak. I was having frequent panic attacks.

It also didn’t help that the theory we covered in class was intense and given at a fast rate. I struggled to note it down or to understand some of it at all.

Getting a reassessment appointment

I requested help in my third year and my university had kindly agreed to let me have one on a temporary basis until Student Finance agrees. SFE sent me to have my second assessment of my DSA, but first I needed to prove that I had anxiety. The proof was hard to get because as a student, and one that is disabled, I transfer between doctors a lot. The doctor that originally diagnosed me with anxiety either hadn’t noted it down or it had got lost somewhere as I transferred doctors.

Thankfully, I had seen a CBT (cognitive behaviour specialist) as recommended by my doctor at the time I was diagnosed. This was enough for my new doctor to confirm that I had anxiety on the form. But it was a slow process so my university had extended the hours of my specialist mentor. She’s been extremely helpful this semester.

Eventually, Student Finance had gotten back to me, but with it a human error – a generic letter telling me there isn’t enough evidence.  I wasn’t sure of my next step, my dad told me to contact student wellbeing and I did.  Student Wellbeing were very supportive and called student finance on my next appointment. Student finance admitted to the error and I contacted DSA.

The original day of the assessment, Birmingham was covered in snow – I had to cancel the appointment but they informed me they were going to cancel anyway, so another appointment was made. I found it difficult to talk about my anxiety and how it affected me but I had my dad at my side.

Reassessments

It’s a weird thing, anxiety. The fear of fear.

For me, my mind sees insects, unexpected changes and stress as part of the trigger for anxiety. When I have a panic attack, I can stand frozen. I may and most likely will heave! I may be frozen and heave at the same time and it will prevent me from eating.

After explaining this to the assessor, they agreed that a specialist support mentor is recommended and I continued my sessions with my mentor.

Then there was the taking notes problem, but there is this software, Audio Notetaker, that records the lecturers as they go through powerpoints in snippets. If I have the powerpoints in advance, this was extremely useful. It shows each slide in a panel alongside the recording and my notes for each side.

It allowed me to unwanted content—such as chitchat if I forgot to pause at brek—and only keep the useful information. I was also given an amazing microphone to use with the software. The software’s noise-cancelling works brilliantly too.

They also replaced my rucksack trolly bag.

I had another reassessment in my Masters year, after a diagnosis of Dyslexia. This assessment gave me claroread and a 1-2-1 dyslexic support mentor.

Thoughts on DSA

DSA is a useful resource for disabled students. They are not as judgemental as PIP and DWP. They listen to what you have to say and they will give you the equipment that they believe will help you. If your circumstances change, or if the equipment is not useful, they will not shy away from reassessing you.

I recommend any student with a disability, learning difficulty, mental health, or other condition to contact DSA. It does make a difference to the university experience. And don’t be afraid if you need your DSA reassessed