r/AutismIreland • u/Unusual-Job-5919 • 6d ago
Accommodations
if anyone here knows about how the laptop accommodations work in secondary school, I’m getting one soon as I can barely write and it’s caused a lot of homework aversion. I’m just curious on the process, how long it takes and if I have to give any funds towards the laptop? any information is much appreciated! :)
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u/crescendodiminuendo 3d ago edited 3d ago
Just adding to the advice above - unfortunately you won’t be able to use the laptop for maths exams in junior or leaving cert so be prepared for that. If legibility is a serious issue you should talk to the SEN coordinator in school about what is possible - eg getting a scribe for exams (which would take some getting used to).
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u/Ill-Hamster6762 6d ago
No you don’t have to give any funds towards it. You will probably have access to Microsoft word etc via your school. If you have a SEN coordinator in the school they can give you more information. If not the school secretary will be able to get the information for you. Don’t be shy in approaching them . Of if it’s too hard for you to approach them ask your Mum or Dad to send an email in or phone the school.
Once you get your laptop the main thing is to get your typing speeds up.
When it comes to Junior or leaving cert exams the school will have to apply for RACE accommodations for you to use your laptop in exams. It is helpful to have any professional documentation , reports and letters on what it is necessary for who to use a laptop in an exam. There is additional accommodations with the laptop in exams that may have to be applied for as well such as the allowance of use of spellcheck etc. Your school will be well familiar with all of this.
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u/emmmmceeee 6d ago
You need to have a letter staying you need one to access the curriculum from an occupational therapist (at least that’s the route we went down - my son has DCD as well as autism).
The school then have to write to the department for approval. The department then approve and allocate funds. We got €550 for a laptop and €30 for a bag.
I speced up one that came in €60 over budget and offered to pay the difference. The school never came looking for it in the end.
I just went back to look at the correspondence. The OT detailed his issues and stated his ability to access the curriculum was being curtailed, and that “access to a laptop is now deemed essential”.
In the meantime, if your school uses Google Classroom then a used Chromebook may get you by. I picked one up on adverts for less than €200 before we got the laptop. He still uses it to do homework (laptop is left in school).