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Profile: Emma Wright

Subject: PhD Sociology
Institution: University of Nottingham

I started a BA Honours degree in Sociology at the University of Nottingham in 1999. At that time I had only minor eyesight problems, mainly due to being severely short-sighted and having some retinal tears as a result, combined with a left eye that had given up when I was 11. I didn’t think I would need any support when I arrived and hadn’t taken that into account at all when choosing universities. When I got here I discovered that the weak eyesight I had always compensated for in a familiar environment was a much bigger problem at a strange Uni! I’d always sat at the front of the class so I could see the board, but lecture theatres were so big that even sitting at the front I couldn’t see. There was also so much reading to do and I began to get awful eyestrain.

One of my lecturers recommended I go to the Learning Support Unit at my university, which I did, and a month later I had a needs assessment. It was recommended that I get all sorts of equipment and support from my Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA): a computer, monitor, keyboard and mouse, TextHelp Read and Write, a printer to make documents in large print, an internet and ink allowance, notetakers for lectures, and people to turn documents into large print for me. It was also suggested that I have extra time in exams. Most interestingly, it was discovered that I can read text much more easily if it is on a bright yellow background! 

Within two months of starting my course I developed optic neuritis in my right eye and several more occurrences over the next year left me with optic atrophy. I was registered as partially sighted in November 2001. I carried on my studies using my equipment and support but my font size gradually went from 14 to 20 and my support needs increased. My books now had to be scanned and printed out in large print rather than enlarged on a photocopier and because this took much more time I had to wait longer for books. On top of which my visual impairment meant my reading speed was lower than an average university student so I started to get behind with my studies. Eventually it was decided that I would need an extra year to complete my studies rather than the usual three. My university helped me to contact my Local Authority about this and they agreed to fund me for an extra year.

I’d always had back pain and high blood pressure, but after a fall in July 2003 an x-ray revealed that I had scoliosis. My spine was curved in such a way that it was in danger of putting pressure on my heart. I had surgery to straighten it during my final year, and my university were very supportive; they even arranged for me to sit my final exams at home in bed as I was still in a lot of pain and needed to lie down. With a lot of help and support I completed my course and got a 2:1.

Not done with the University experience, I’d applied to do postgraduate studies just before I had my back operation and through my morphine haze I learnt that I had been accepted for Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) 1+3 funding. This meant I had funding to complete a one-year MA in Research Methods in Sociology, followed by a three-year PhD. My MA took two years due to health problems but I passed, and so far my PhD is going well and I’m on schedule, despite developing RSI in my right hand / arm and a hearing impairment requiring two hearing aids.

I now use ZoomText Extra level 2 to read items on screen to me, and magnify areas that are particularly small. I use the Windows settings to enlarge the font and change the colour to black on yellow. I have a large-print keyboard and an ergonomic mouse to reduce strain on my right hand / arm. I also use Dragon Naturally Speaking (voice-recognition software) to reduce the amount of typing I need to do. I still have books and articles enlarged for me, and I have an assistant to come with me when I am conducting my research interviews to help me find my way around unfamiliar places. I have a laptop computer to use on campus, and software to scan and read out short articles. I can’t scan long ones as I find it very hard to concentrate on hearing what is said.

I’ve really enjoyed my studies and although it has been difficult the support staff at my University have been wonderful. It’s been tough getting all the equipment and support I need from a limited DSA budget, and there have often been delays, but they’ve done a pretty good job. I’ve kept raising new challenges for them and they’ve done their best to meet them. Although it was scary at first I’ve been at university for seven years now and would recommend it to anyone!

[Posted October 2007]