Laptops will aid students with disabilities as they prepare to write exams at the University of Saskatchewan

Posted November 23, 2004


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 23, 2004 2004-11-33-OTHER

Laptops will aid students with disabilities as they prepare to write exams

David Hannah, Associate Vice-President, Student and Enrolment Services
announced the collaboration and donation of eight laptops to Disability
Services for Students (DSS) at the University of Saskatchewan, today.

This gift is significant, as it will allow students with disabilities to
write exams in a more efficient manner. Statistics from the 1998-99 academic
year indicate that 500 exams were written through the DSS' exam
accommodation program. In 2003-04, nearly 2,000 exam accommodations were
made and nearly 40% required a computer in order for the students to write
their exams.

"Not only are we here to announce the donation of new technology but also to
celebrate improvements in the area of student services and an increased
awareness of students with disabilities on campus," said Hannah. "The
University is very cognizant of the need to provide students with the tools
they require to be successful and these computers will allow for that."

The laptops were the result of collaboration between the Campus Computer
Store (Information Technology Services) and Student and Enrolment Services
Division as well as a private donation from a student.

Students who access the exam accommodation program by registering with DSS
have a variety of needs including; a quiet space to write in, additional
time, use of a computer, and some students require the assistance of a
scribe who often has to write out the student's verbal responses by hand.
The laptops will allow students to write exams on the computers as well as
allowing the scribes a quick way to transcribe answers.

This announcement is very timely as regular session term 1 final
examinations will be held on campus from December 7-23, 2004.

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For more information, please contact:

David Hannah
Associate Vice-President, Student and Enrolment Services
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-8710

Maxine Kinakin
Manager, Disability Services for Students
University of Saskatchewan
Tel: (306) 966-5673