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The support available to print-impaired students, from transcription services to advice from RNIB Cymru experts on employment, was the focus of an event for students organised by the Swansea University Transcription Centre (SUTC).
The SUTC provides accessible formats (braille, audio, large print, electronic text and tactile diagrams) to print-disabled students at Swansea University and at other universities and colleges.
Sarah Jones, SUTC manager, said:
"The event was intended to highlight the extra support we can provide to students. Our team here can support people in their studies, but through our link with RNIB Cymru we can also give them access to specialist advice to boost their employment prospects.
We’d strongly encourage anyone with a print impairment who is thinking of studying at Swansea to get in touch with us. We’re here to help!"
Picture: (l-r) Mike Jones, former student, Jasmine Metcalfe, undergraduate in English, Sarah Jones, Transcription Centre manager, and Carly Jones, former student
The Swansea Transcription Centre team have good links with experts at RNIB Cymru.
Nicola Crews, head of Education and Employment Services for RNIB Cymru, said:
"A survey by RNIB showed 90% of employers found it difficult to employ visually-impaired people. Working closely with the Swansea team, we give students help to improve their confidence and their CVs."
Jasmine Metcalfe is an undergraduate student in English Language and Literature and is currently studying texts including Dracula and Jane Eyre.
“The team at Swansea have been brilliant. My lecturers email Powerpoints to the transcription team and they put them into Word documents which my screen-reader can read to me.
Sarah and her team also contact publishers to get ebooks or Braille versions.”
Picture: Jasmine Metcalfe at the Swansea University event
Listen to Insight Radio interview with Sarah Jones, and students Genna Williams and Jasmine Metcalfe, at the event
Mike and Carly Jones both did their degrees at Swansea University, and made use of the services provided by the Transcription Centre.
Mike Jones said: "The Swansea team is the best in the country – I’d send huge lists of reading through and they’d manage to get it all back to me."
Carly Jones added: "If it wasn’t for the Transcription Centre team we wouldn’t have our degrees."
Swansea University Transcription Centre
Amy Dillwyn Building
Swansea University
Singleton Park
Swansea SA2 8PP
Tel.: 01792 295912 Email: braille@swansea.ac.uk
Open 9:00am to 4:00pm Monday to Friday
Swansea University Disability Office – support for students with a disability
- Wednesday 27 November 2013 14.50 GMT
- Wednesday 25 September 2019 10.57 BST
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