Weekly Update 21st May

College News

This weeks update is all about the Assistive Technology that we have around the College and the Additional Learning Support Team that provides and trains people on how to use them. Assistive Technology is any product that allows people with a disability or impairment to communicate, learn and live more independently. 

We have a variety of technology that is in use and available including loaning of equipment such as laptops, touch screen monitors and notebooks, specialist software on the College network, books that are specially adapted, colour filters and visual/hearing aids. Barrington Stoke Books provide the specially adapted books to our Library for students with Dyslexia and we also have reading and writing software called ‘Read Write Gold’ on the Computers in the library.

This video will give you an idea of some of the things that the Additional Learning Support Team and Dovestones staff do to help students. For anyone looking for information on Assistive Technology and how it can help, there is a display in the library and in room F2 where you can find some leaflets showing various equipment/software being used in the college.

If you feel that you need additional support you can speak to the Additional Learning Support Team in room E1 in the Victoria Building. They will be able to provide with specialist help and training on all this equipment. 

This week is also Deaf Awareness Week which some of you may already know. Deaf Awareness Week is an annual event, coordinated by the UK Council on Deafness, that aims to raise awareness and understanding of the Deaf Community. The theme for 2014 is "Equality in communication for all." We are putting on a variety of events during the week that aim to raise awareness of the Deaf Community in the College with staff and students. These include a finger spelling competition on Thursday in the refectory and a themed treasure hunt which took place yesterday, around the College which was fantastic! If you are a student and would like to have a go at the finger spelling competition come down to the Bistro at 12:15 tomorrow.

In Other News

This weeks main Equality and Diversity news is that today is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development which was declared by the UN in 2001. The event was set up to help bring people from around the world, from different cultures and ethnicities etc. together and help them learn how to live together better. There is also a campaign that has been set up by the UN on Social Media called 'Do One Thing' which encourages diversity and inclusion where people can tweet using the hashtag #DoOneThing. 

Equality and Diversity Quote of the week

“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities” Stephen R. Covey