Blind and Vision Impaired students: Tips for starting study at Deakin
Welcome to Deakin!
Starting study is an exciting and busy time as you transition to a new learning environment. Deakin University and the Disability Resource Centre are here to support you in your academic endeavours.
Here are some tips and ideas that may help you prepare for study at Deakin. What works for one student, may not work for you, so it is important to explore ideas and identify strategies that suit you.
Before we go into any detail, New Students – everything you need to know to achieve your best at Uni is a useful starting point for all students.
Register with the DRC
You are encouraged to register with the Disability Resource Centre (DRC). The DRC can discuss study related adjustments with you that can facilitate independence and save you some time. The DRC can work with you to prepare an Access Plan to help communicate your needs to relevant people/teams in the University and assist in identifying assistive technologies that may help support your studies.
Feel confident and proficient with your technology
Tertiary studies require a lot of reading, note taking and academic writing. It is essential for all students to be proficient and confident in the technology they use.
You may already be familiar with a few assistive tech tools, such as screen readers, but if you need additional advice or help with upskilling, contact your vision service provider e.g. Vision Australia.
Further links
Deakin has free software available for all students: https://www.deakin.edu.au/students/new-students/digital-setup/access-free-software
Connect with the SWAT team
Deakin have a ‘SWAT (Students with Assistive Technology) team’ which is an advisory and support group of Deakin students who use assistive technology to access studies. The SWAT team meet several times each trimester to share tips and stories on managing studies. For more information about the SWAT team please contact the Disability Resource Centre.
Access Unit Readings early
Readings can be time consuming. It is often possible to access your unit readings prior to your unit sites opening in O week, and this can be a great opportunity to explore if readings are accessible with your current tech. Please be assured that Deakin does take digital accessibility seriously and most of your readings should be accessible. If you require an alternative format e.g. braille, it is essential that you contact the DRC as early as possible, as these formats can take considerable time to be provided.
Blackboard Ally allows you to convert and download learning resources from your unit sites in different formats such as MP3s, PDFs, and eBook. Try the various format types and decide what works best for you and your existing technology
Timetables and coming on campus
The Deakin timetable system is called STAR. For on-campus students, please make sure you are aware of the dates STAR open and close. Provisional timetables are also available weeks before trimester starts so you can begin planning your on-campus classes early. Advice about synchronising your timetable and calendar is also available on the STAR page.
You may want to familiarise yourself with the campus layout before trimester starts, and you are encouraged to visit as often as you want. During trimester breaks, campuses are often much quieter, and it can be much easier to find key locations, such as the library, Student Central and the cafes. If you require specific Orientation and Mobility training, please contact your vision service provider as soon as possible.
Be Ready for O week
Orientation, or ‘O week’ is one of the most important weeks of your trimester. O week is the week before classes commence. There are lots of orientation activities for new students AND your unit sites will open this week. Your unit sites are accessible from your DeakinSync and you may want to review the suggestions for preparing for your first week of the trimester.
Familiarise yourself with your Unit Sites
Your unit sites are where the resources for your subject are located through DeakinSync, which include readings, assessment tasks, staff contacts, discussion boards, teaching resources and Unit Guides. We strongly advise you to spend time familiarising yourself with your unit sites, as not all unit sites have a similar layout!
Get organised!
Carefully consider the time you need to set aside for studies on a weekly basis. Every week during the trimester you will receive new information, be working on assessment tasks, doing readings, or preparing for quizzes, so it is important to reflect on how you manage both your time and the large volume of information.
It can be helpful when downloading learning resources, to rename them to something appropriate and save it to a specific location. For example, you may save the lecture slides from week 2 of your unit Intro to Psychology (HPS111) and a required reading for that week. Save these into a specific location with a folder called the same as the unit (HPS111) and rename the downloaded files from ‘lectureslides.ppt’ to ‘Week 2 Lecture Slides.ppt’ and rename the reading resource ‘171442157 Grey Phillips 43-75' to ‘Week 2 Prescribed Reading Gray and Phillips Chapter 2.’ This will assist you in easily locating and identifying these resources in later weeks.
Your Wellbeing is Important
Studying can be stressful and fatiguing and this can be especially true for students who are Blind or Vision Impaired. You can access Health and wellbeing services at Deakin including quality medical centres and counselling, spiritual care, inclusion, and disability support. Do consider activities that support your wellbeing and give yourself permission to have time out each week.
Further Services at Deakin
- Deakin Student Association Clubs
- Deakin Counselling Service offers free and confidential counselling for Deakin students
Deakin Glossary
A glossary of Deakin terms that may be helpful
Having Problems Getting Started?
3 useful links if you are experiencing any problems getting started: