Blind student not allowed to sit NCEA exam because it entails watching a video

[PrincessBandit]

"A blind Christchurch schoolboy is frustrated he has to miss out on NCEA credits because exam organisers say they cannot accommodate his disability.

Hagley Community College year 13 pupil Dylan Neale cannot sit Tuesday's level-three National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) drama exam because it requires watching and analysing a DVD."


I cannot believe that in this "inclusive" day and age of education that an exam could be set up in this way given that it obviously would disadvantage some members from completing it. As trainee teachers we are hammered with ensuring we are inclusive to all levels of diversity - culture, socio-economic factors, differing physical and mental disadvantage (and levels thereof), ethnic differences in learning.....I could go on....

And here we have our national external examination system not complying!!

[gijoe1313]

Shhh Princess ,that implies logic and common sense - very misplaced these days! So they couldn't allow him to do this via an oral playing of the text ala National Radio plays for Shakespeare etc al?

Definitely a case of those who should be able to see better being more blind than the poor student.

[yungatart]

Oh, that is very odd!
I work with a visually impaired student who is also doing Level 3 drama. (She is classed as legally blind but has some (very little) peripheral vision)
She is able to sit her exams with separate accomodation and a reader/writer. The DVD will be played on a laptop.

What a tragedy...fancy getting to this stage of the year and not having it sorted for him.

[James Deuce]

Hang on a minute. If there's a protective element to this then they need rethink that. The real world won't dish out any dispensations for being blind and they should let the student "watch" the damn DVD. They may be surprised at the results.

[SMOKEU]

I had to miss out on an exam at that school last week because I can't write properly. The cunts should have been more accommodating for the disabled.

[marie_speeds]

I had to miss out on an exam at that school last week because I can't write properly. The cunts should have been more accommodating for the disabled.

I didn't think reciting the alphabet required a reader writer....

[marie_speeds]

Shhh Princess ,that implies logic and common sense - very misplaced these days! So they couldn't allow him to do this via an oral playing of the text ala National Radio plays for Shakespeare etc al?

Definitely a case of those who should be able to see better being more blind than the poor student.

I think the easiest solution would have been to have a reader writer describe each scene and then for him to pick up on the aural nuances of the actors voices and write his answers, but again I think that falls into the too logical category.

[PrincessBandit]

The concern with using a reader was that it would impact on the student's own interpretation of the context and content. It was stated in the news item that any third party would simply be unable to completely disaffect their own interpretation in relaying what the student had to analyse.

[James Deuce]

The concern with using a reader was that it would impact on the student's own interpretation of the context and content. It was stated in the news item that any third party would simply be unable to completely disaffect their own interpretation in relaying what the student had to analyse.

Tough. It's a learning experience for all involved. A positive one too.

[tigertim20]

"A blind Christchurch schoolboy is frustrated he has to miss out on NCEA credits because exam organisers say they cannot accommodate his disability.

Hagley Community College year 13 pupil Dylan Neale cannot sit Tuesday's level-three National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) drama exam because it requires watching and analysing a DVD."


I cannot believe that in this "inclusive" day and age of education that an exam could be set up in this way given that it obviously would disadvantage some members from completing it. As trainee teachers we are hammered with ensuring we are inclusive to all levels of diversity - culture, socio-economic factors, differing physical and mental disadvantage (and levels thereof), ethnic differences in learning.....I could go on....

And here we have our national external examination system not complying!!

im not sure how relevant it is in this particular case, but . . .
while I am all for inclusion, and enabling people to acheive, there are times where 'inclusion' is counter productive.
a blind person will never be a driving instructor no matter how much they want to be, or how much qualifications they have.
Ive a friend who is a real short arse, short enough that several of the bikes he really loves, will all be ones he can never own because of his height limitations.

like i said, maybe not relevant to this particular example...

They knew the format of the exam at the start of the year, so, why wasnt the issue raised then before the poor cunt spent 12 months studying the subject for nothing??

[James Deuce]

They knew the format of the exam at the start of the year, so, why wasnt the issue raised then before the poor cunt spent 12 months studying the subject for nothing??

That is something that disabled people and parents of disabled people run into ALL the time. Schools get all excited about taking them on and then fail to follow through. I think main-streaming fails disabled kids and I think it diverts resources from the "core product".

[Paul in NZ]

That is something that disabled people and parents of disabled people run into ALL the time. Schools get all excited about taking them on and then fail to follow through. I think main-streaming fails disabled kids and I think it diverts resources from the "core product".

I agree... Best case you become the trophy 'disabled kid' ....

It may NOT have been obvious at the time but theres also the question, why did this kid sit a course that was going to create this kind of issue. Jims point is valid, the real worlds a cunt but its less so if we pick our fights. ie my dyslexic daughter managed a double degree by limiting it to one or two papers a year that required an exam (which stress her out) and filling the rest with internally assessed papers where her strong work ethic is an advantage...

Thats not to say I think this is a bit of a friggin crock!

[yungatart]

It is only one standard out of a whole years work, so this student will not necessarily fail the course because of it, they are just unable to achieve this particular standard.
However the blind student I work with is sitting this same standard, so I don't see why the student mentioned in the original post can't.

[Banditbandit]

I had to miss out on an exam at that school last week because I can't write properly. The cunts should have been more accommodating for the disabled.

Severe stupidity is not a disability ...

Yeah yeah .. red rep me all you like ...

[SMOKEU]

Severe stupidity is not a disability ...

Yeah yeah .. red rep me all you like ...

Try writing when your writing hand is broken and in a cast. I don't feel like giving you red rep because I don't want to drop down to your level by playing your pathetic little games.