VISUALLY impaired students from local colleges visited the University of Worcester to find out more about the transition to higher education.
Students from New College Worcester and the Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford attended a Visual Impairment (VI) Information Day organised by the university’s Disability and Dyslexia Service.
The day, which is aimed at students thinking of going to university, gave them the chance learn more about what university is like before they begin applications. Both colleges are specialist institutions for students with visual impairments.
Catherine Williams, disability adviser at the University of Worcester, said: “The day is so important because it helps visually impaired people prepare well for university and make informed choices about what will work best for them. They learn about the importance of planning support early and how best to explore all the options available to them.
“The day gives visually impaired people the tools they need at the right time and it prepares them for success in higher education in the longer term. These individuals can come on to our campus and experience bespoke activities that are relevant to the type of university experience they may have.”
The students toured halls of residence and heard about some of the adaptations that can be made for visually impaired students if needed, such as tactile markers on appliances.
They also experienced the university’s learning environments and were given information on the Disabled Students’ Allowance – a Government Grant that funds support for visually impaired students at university.
There was also a talk from the university’s Alternative Formats Team, who help ensure students have screen reader friendly books.
Some visually impaired students from the university also gave the visitors the benefit of their experience while charity Look UK attended and gave details of their mentoring scheme for visually impaired students.
Andrew Radford, careers lead at New College Worcester, added: “At New College Worcester helping students to fulfil their ambitions and be aspirational for their future is crucial to us. Our students who attended found it very insightful to learn about university life, particularly learning from past and present vision impaired students about their experiences.”
