magnifiers

[james mckinlay]

HI ALL SORRY FOR THE CAPITAL LETTERS BUT ITS ALL I CAN SEE WITHOUT STRAINING MY EYES WHAT MY QUESTION IS REALLY I AM GOING BACK TO COLLEGE IN SEPTEMBER AND I AM REGISTERED PARTIALLT SIGHTED THE COLLEGE HAVE KINDLY AGGREED TO ISSUE ME WITH A LAPTOP WITH ZOOM TEXT INSTALLED FOR WHICH I AM LUCKY FOR. BUT I HAVE SEEN THE RANGE OF MAGNIFIERS THAT CONCEPT NORTHERN OFFER AND I WAS WONDERING IF THERE ARE ANY GRANTS OUT THERE THAT COULD HELP ME WITH THE COST OF GETTING ONE AS THEY ARE £400 roughly I CANT GET DISABLED STUDENTS ALLOWANCE AS THE COURSE IS NOT AT HNC LEVEL.

I HAVE MAGNIFIERS FROM THE LOW VISION CLINIC AT GARTNAVEL HOSPITAL BUT THYE ARE NOT UPTO MUCH REALLY ANYWAY IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS WHERE TO LOOK AT OR SPEAK TO I WOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR THE INFORMATION.

I WOULD GO DOWN THE ROUTES TO WORK OPTION BUT HAVING BIPOLAR AFFECTIVE DISORDER I AM NOT WELL ENOUGH TO SEEK EMPLOYMENT ALTHOUGH I WISH I WAS AS BEING ON BENEFITS AT THE AGE OF 28 DOES UR SOCIAL LIFE NO GOOD OR SELF ESTEEM.

NOT THAT IM AGAINST THE BENEFITS SYSTEM IT HAS HELPED ME A LOT BUT I JUST HATE BEING DEPENDANT ON IT.

[Andrew MacLean]

Speak to your college and see if they will provide any additional aids.

Also, the RNIB offers a range of aids through their online shop http://onlineshop.rnib.org.uk/

All the best

Andrew

[Elizabeth Mair]

As you also live in the West of Scotland, contact Visibility as they may have ideas for funding for magnifiers.You could ask at Job Centre Plus (Unemployment office) too as you are doing a course to help you get a job.Another place is the Social worker in your area who is responsible for visual impairment. Hope some of the ideas are of help.
Hope college goes well next year.

[space_cadet]

I spent a year on National Union Of Students Disabled Students Campaign Committee, if you are studying in a Futher Education college you are eligiable for a Disabled Students Assesment just not entitled to as much in terms of equiptment as someone who is studying at Higher Education level.

I can make some phone calls and get you the numbers of the Scottish Disabled Students Committee members, or at least ask a friend from national LGBT campaign for some numbers and email address's to help you.

If you need anything to do with DSA etc feel free to message me, as its a pain to get but woth it in the end (says she who has now more or less given her laptop to partner as can't see the screen) but the other software is worth it.

Lunar is good for magnificiation. I think I have a spare copy somewhere, but not sure where.

Lea
xox

[space_cadet]

National Union of Students Scotland
29 Forth Street
Edinburgh
EH1 3LE
phone: 0131 556 6598
fax: 0131 557 5679
email: mail@nus-scotland.org.uk

[space_cadet]

SORRY JUST NOTICED YOU SAID BIPOLAR AS WELL, PLEASE CONTACT ME I KNOW OTHER WAYS TO HELP YOU GET DSA,

I HAVE BP AND KC AND OTHER THINGS SO PLEASE LET ME HELP YOU IF I AM ABLE

I HAVE BEEN ON THE NUS NATIONAL DISABLED CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE FOR A YEAR 07-8
LEEDS MET UNI (SOON TO BE CARNEGIE) UNION COUNCIL 07-8
LEEDS MET UNI LGBTQ SOCIETY ACCESSIBILITY OFFICER 07-PRESENT

and a fair afew other things.

SEND ME A PM

Lea
xox