[senco-forum] JCQ and gel pens (was: Exam Access Arrangements)

Hi David, 

Please do pursue this matter. You may want to include along the lines of  the 
following in your reply.

"This is  not the case since the Disability
Discrimination Act is in place to  allow candidates to access the
examination without gaining an unfair  advantage."

I hardly think gel pens are an unfair advantage, though by preventing those  
who need them for ease of writing, this is indeed discriminatory and placing  
them at a disadvantage.

"For example, if a candidate has problems using a pen they may apply to use  
a scribe to
record their answers. 

Having been a scribe I know this takes practice for the pupil and to  dictate 
to someone unfamilair "cold" would again put them at a distinct  
disadvantage...and there would be no guarantee all that need gel pens would  qualify for a 
scribe anyway; they may have problems with a normal pen but that  is why gel 
pens are so useful!.  

Best wishes,
Aly

Chair Auditory  Processing Disorder in the UK/APDUK
www.lacewingmultimedia.com/APD.htm 
www.apduk.org