Harriet Cannon @HarrietCannon Twitter profile

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

No they don't. And extra time really isn't the big boost people think it is. Extra time supports only those who need it, and has little beneficial impact on those who don't - it confers no advantage (see Duncan & Purcell). Extra time doesn't make you know stuff you don't know.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

I spent years modifying the language of uni exam papers for autistic students (and wrote a paper on it). We are really, really bad at asking questions and giving instructions. We have an inclusive exam paper template and guidance now to try to counter this sort of problem.

internet hall of fame

@InternetH0F

4 months

how is that not right??

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

The teacher describing autism as 'neurological damage' in a GCSE Psychology lesson today did not reckon on my eldest child being quite so well-versed in autistic neurology and the problematic ableist neuronormative trope of the predominant neurotype 🤣 I'm so proud!

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

@paulpowlesland Solidarity! I'm still mourning these 10 beautiful 100yo trees, all healthy, all with TPOs, felled to make way for a care home extension which will never happen. We got an apology from the Council and 10 tiny saplings, yet to be planted 2 years later. Trees matter.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

5 years

It's the start of #AutismAwarenessWeek or, more helpfully, #AutismAcceptanceMonth , so time to send my little infographic out again in celebration of #autism and #ActuallyAutistic people #positives #acceptance #flipthenegatives #RedInstead

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

11 months

And it's not because autistic people *can't do* uni, it's because the universities are structurally inaccessible to autistic people through pretty much every element of their design and activity.

Emily♡

@ItsEmilyKaty

11 months

Some facts about autistic students and university.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

Whenever I do training on supporting disabled students, it's often this bit that causes the most shifting in seats. People don't realise what 'substantial disadvantage' means. It's not good enough to make an adjustment 'eventually'. Mini 🧵

Dr Amy Kavanagh

@BlondeHistorian

8 months

Under the Equality Act it is still discrimination even if access is eventually granted to the business or service because the disabled person experienced unfavourable treatment or was put at a disadvantage. Also, I shouldn’t have to fight for my right to access healthcare.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

@Sara_Rose_G And autistic people are FAR more likely to be subject to a violent attack than to perpetrate one.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

@Sara_Rose_G And not only that, in the largest study done in relation to autism and violent crime, it turns out being autistic actually REDUCES your risk of committing a violent crime. Article re study here (CW for medical model language)

Toronto attack: Autism does not increase risk of violence

The evidence indicates that having autism spectrum disorder actually reduces the risk of violence.

theconversation.com

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

Absolutely astounded that one local private autism assessment service charges £1750 for an adult diagnostic assessment, in an area with a 3.5 year waiting list for an NHS assessment. The system is so broken☹️

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

10 months

I've been working with disabled uni students for nearly 25 years. Literally thousands of students, mostly neurodivergent students, since that's my specialism. I can think of one, maybe two students in all that time who might have been 'gaming the system'.

Emma Camp

@emmma_camp_

10 months

Granted, the spike in disability accomidations for things like “anxiety” and ADHD, is probably one part students failing to cope with the challeges of college life, one part kids who realize that it’s incredibly easy to game the system. Both are problems!

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@EmilyBronwen I breastfed all 3 of mine, 10 years of this sh*t. My favourite comeback was 'I'm so sorry that your experiences in life have led you to see me feeding my child as anything other than natural and necessary'. And then carry on. Or bellowing 'this man is looking at my boobs!' 🙃

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

Also, working under time pressure is rarely a competence standard for the majority of courses, so why not change the assessment so that no one has to 'fake' anything, if that's your concern?

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Once more for the people at the back: stop asking disabled students for evidence of their disability in mit circs and other processes WHEN THEY'VE ALREADY EVIDENCED IT by registering with Disability Services. Uni regulations are not the law - the Equality Act is.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Well this is spot on. Professional Services staff aren't 'admin'. We're not 'back office'. We're not less than academics. We're specialist, experienced practitioners and we deserve to be recognised and treated with respect.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

Substantial disadvantage is making disabled students jump through more hoops than their peers. It's making them have to tell people about their disability repeatedly. Making them provide evidence multiple times. Making them pay for that evidence every time.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

The picture for uni students with ADHD is brutal at the moment. Endless diagnosis waiting lists, medication shortages and rationing, & now spectacularly unhelpful myths being bandied about. Don't give up: those of us in Disability Services believe you & we want to help.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

Also, while we're talking about language, it's equally important that we think hard about the language we use to articulate competence standards and learning outcomes, because those are, essentially, instructions, and they often don't make sense. And they exclude people.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Hmm. UKRI has published its EDI strategy. Which doesn't mention the word disabled once. And of the 6 research council action plans, only 2 have any measures relating to disabled PGRs.

UKRI publishes equality, diversity and inclusion strategy

www.ukri.org

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

This is critically important. If you think that autistic people have no empathy - because it doesn't look like your version of empathy - you are perpetuating a hugely damaging myth that has done untold harm to every autistic person. Educate yourself, starting now.

Pete Wharmby

@commaficionado

3 years

Let's talk about autism and empathy. Honestly, the old daft stereotype that autistic people are empathy vacuums, incapable of emotion and therefore prone to evil continues, despite being absolute rubbish. The reality? #thread 🧵🧵🧵

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

@BrufdPsoma Bingo! Timed exams are often more about quick processing and recall, and not about actual knowledge and application.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

@SPhinbow Yep, it's there for people who process language differently, who need to re-read for meaning, who may take longer to articulate their thoughts effectively. It doesn't support knowledge. If you don't know something, all the extra time in the world will make zero difference.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

5 years

My thoughts on the positive aspects of autism #autism #neurodiversity #acceptance #positives #flipthenegatives #infographic #oneyearon

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Many universities are way behind on support for disabled staff, and their disability stats show it. Supporting and managing disabled staff is easy - 70% of my team is disabled. How to support disabled staff to thrive via @wonkhe

How to support disabled staff to thrive | Wonkhe

Meredith Wilkinson identifies the ways in which universities can foster a more inclusive environments for staff with disabilities, chronic illness, or mental health conditions

wonkhe.com

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

It's through making it that little bit more difficult to access the physical and sensory environment through attitude and unwillingness. It's the microagressions, the daily drip drip drip of ableism. It all adds up.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

It's making them apply for mitigation in order to access basic reasonable adjustments that have already been agreed and shared. It's burdening disabled students with more paperwork, more chasing, more asking than their peers.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

Can't read the article because of the paywall, but with a headline like this, I think we can guess where this one is going..."With feelings valued above all and diagnoses for anxiety rocketing, young people are being ill prepared for a tough world". I am SO TIRED of this 💩

Jim Dickinson

@jim_dickinson

6 months

"We fail students by indulging their fragilities"

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 years

If you’re a #disabled applicant to a UK university and you still don’t know which uni you’re going to because of the #UTurn , remember than you can (and should) still apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances, even if you’re not sure where you’ll end up. Links below. #DSA

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 years

My grandmother was diagnosed at 92 years old, after a literal lifetime of being described by medical and other professionals as a 'difficult woman' 😕

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

It's through inflexible approaches to learning, teaching and assessment. And not making adjustments until disability practitioners step in. It's expecting less of disabled students. Assuming they're 'difficult' and treating them as such.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Well this is horrific at every level, in every possible way. If anyone had any doubts as to how this government views disabled people, here's your answer.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

@dog_rates Woody says: back atcha Willow!

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

9 months

New headteacher asked for suggestions to improve school and this is what our 9 year old wrote down (entirely unprompted!). She then marched round school pointing out all the inaccessible areas. Good to know the kids do actually listen to my endless accessibility rants! 🤣

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

@EdgarMoose43433 Not 100% sure what your point is, but looks like you're asserting that 'people with autism' is better than 'autistic people', which is not the prevailing view in the UK (social model of disability) as indicated through research conducted by and with autistic people.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

Ok, ok, I've juggled the guidance into a non-institution-specific format, so you can have it. Links to a Google drive. PDF version

Inclusive exam papers.pdf

drive.google.com

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

@commaficionado I recently battled with an academic colleague who insisted that maintaining eye contact and demonstrating a good sense of humour were essential learning outcomes for a credit bearing presentation on an engineering module. They'd failed an autistic student for doing neither.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

7 months

Remembering the (female) consultant who drew me a diagram of the menstrual cycle and told me 'pain is part of womanhood' as an endometrioma the size of a melon fused my pelvic and abdominal organs together 🙃

Naga Munchetty told to suck it up over extreme menstrual problems

The presenter, who has a condition affecting her womb, tells MPs her problems were repeatedly dismissed.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@silverpebble It reminds me of something I saw somewhere (here?) which was 'I'm taking my time; it's mine to take' and I've reflected on that a lot when up to my eyeballs with too many competing demands.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@widow_waiting When my mum was in her final days she said to us all 'it's easier for me, all I have to do is die. My sadness is that it is you who will have to live with my death, and that's much harder'. And we do live with it, daily. It is hard, but we're ok (17 years on). Thinking of you ♥️

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

This won't mean much to anyone but I'm a terrible skin picker ( #dermatillomania ) and for the first time since I can remember the skin on my fingers is intact, and has been for nearly 2 months. And I have nails! Not perfect, probably need a manicure, but big progress for me 😊

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

@DrFrancesRyan Oof my thoughts exactly. Lifting and carrying him seemed so awkward and a bit undignified/infantilising. And totally unnecessary!

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

@JoannaKCannon Just goes to show that she DOES listen every time I mutter and moan at portrayals of autism. She's offered to send her teacher some resources 'in case he wants to update his understanding' 🤣

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

I think this headline should read that autistic PEOPLE can be an asset in the workplace. Of course they can, and are. But business can't just plunder their skills; they must also provide genuine support, and properly adapt the work environment.

‘Employers should see autism as asset’: review seeks to break barriers at work

Inquiry led by ex-minister Robert Buckland to examine UK support for neurodivergent people with aim of doubling employment rate

www.theguardian.com

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

This is great. My autistic dad is a superb father to his 3 children and grandfather to his 6 grandchildren. Gentle, patient, kind, loving, beyond loyal, funny, creative and with buckets of empathy and care ❤️

Pete Wharmby

@commaficionado

2 years

Reasons why autistic people can make excellent parents, despite what stereotypes say - a thread. Please read and share.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

@anne_hegerty @Sara_Rose_G Also, they're not boys, they are men. Accountable men who are responsible for their actions, whether they believe it or not. Calling them boys is part of the issue.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

10 months

What HAS changed in nearly a quarter of a century is the availability of support, the understanding of disability, the access to HE, the dismantling of some (by no means all) barriers, and the law. These are good things.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

10 months

This kind of 💩 narrative is precisely what prevents disabled students from accessing support. Support which is vital, not to gain advantage, but to mitigate the fact that HE is still highly inaccessible, despite recent progress.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 months

It shouldn't take a tragedy like this, or the protracted legal proceedings that followed, to make universities understand their responsibilities under the Equality Act. But at least we now have a legal precedent.

Thomas Williams

@TWilliamsTHE

3 months

The University of Bristol has lost its high court appeal against a county court ruling that it contributed to the death of Natasha Abrahart by unlawfully discriminating against her. More soon @timeshighered

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

11 months

Would love to do this at @UniversityLeeds for our @UoLStudents - maybe a collab with us in @UoLDisability ?

Victoria Fanning

@VFanning50

11 months

Today we held our first relaxed graduation experience to support students with learning difficulties, autism, social anxiety, sensory processing difficulties or who may find attending a traditional graduation overwhelming. Huge thanks to everyone who has made this a success.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

This is a problem, because you can't have equality and inclusion without including disability, and disability as a protected characteristic has different requirements under the law compared to other protected characteristics, which needs to be acknowledged.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

10 months

Just got your A-Level results & off to Uni? Apply for Disabled Students' Allowances NOW if you're eligible. Disability includes dyslexia, ADHD, autism, mental health conditions, long term medical conditions as well physical and sensory disabilities. Details in this thread ⬇️

Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 years

If you’re a #disabled applicant to a UK university and you still don’t know which uni you’re going to because of the #UTurn , remember than you can (and should) still apply for Disabled Students’ Allowances, even if you’re not sure where you’ll end up. Links below. #DSA

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

This is the weekend many students arrive at university. If you're one of them, and you're disabled, it's not too late to sort out your support and adjustments. Contact Disability Services at your uni to get started, or check the details in this thread 👇

Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

10 months

Just got your A-Level results & off to Uni? Apply for Disabled Students' Allowances NOW if you're eligible. Disability includes dyslexia, ADHD, autism, mental health conditions, long term medical conditions as well physical and sensory disabilities. Details in this thread ⬇️

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 years

I'm creating another poster with tips for uni staff to better support/teach autistic students. I'd love to get some (gentle, constructive) feedback. Image-based PDF at , accessible text-based Word doc link in comments #Autism #AskingAutistics

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

Reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement and it simply baffles me that organisations don't get this.

University Challenge: Christmas episode axed after ableism complaints

Two contestants in the Christmas version of the BBC quiz say their disabilities weren't provided for.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

Disability Practitioners trying to work with students to fix these issues are also frequently deemed 'a nuisance' (or, in my case, 'a professional irritant' 🙃). Remembering too that many Disability Practitioners are also disabled...

Disability News Service

@johnpringdns

6 months

Disabled students told their access needs are ‘a nuisance’, survey finds @ChangeDisabled @MetteWestander

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

We could also do with disabled staff members feeling safe enough to talk about their own disability, not in a weird inspo way, but in terms of commonplace experience and commonplace reasonable adjustments. (Although we also need to employ them in the first place...)

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

@ItsEmilyKaty Aha, I know this one! It's the Tuesday test, part of the ADOS diagnostic schedule, aimed at testing narrative ability to uncover semantic pragmatic differences and probably a bit of theory of mind. So, total bunkum tested in a wholly inappropriate way.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

@theWEniverseis1 I can’t share the templates but the guidance is here

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

@driver_steph Oh yes. It's a really big problem that the mechanism for accessing funding for support to minimise disadvantage is, in itself, disadvantaging disabled students. It's no wonder disabled students don't get through the process...further disadvantaging them 🙃

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

10 months

Very few types of support or adjustment make any difference to students who don't genuinely need it. But for those who do, it can be life changing.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

My response to the university repeatedly asking disabled students for medical evidence requests as part their mitigating circumstances applications: what will the evidence tell you that you don't already know?

Alison Romaine

@alison_lettuce

1 year

students shld be able to self-certify to get assessment extensions. yes, this permission, needs to exist within a web of wellbeing check-ins to catch any further support needed, but i feel the current status-quo of demanding medical evidence = more work for students/staff/nhs...

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

Autistic people need support from non-autistic people now more than ever. I know it can be hard - to know what to say, to get it right - but that's nothing compared to how relentlessly awful it is for autistic people fighting this stuff 24/7. So what can we do? 🧵

@[email protected]

@AutSciPerson

3 years

"I would like to ask for non-autistic people to start actually helping. We need a buffer to the trauma. We need a break. I’m tired. We’re tired. Something has got to give so autistic people can get some rest when fighting for justice." #StopSpectrum10K

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

Also, it really says more about the woeful state of assessment in HE if having extra time can substantially improve student outcomes. In the vast majority of courses, you're testing the wrong thing if you're only testing speed.

Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

No they don't. And extra time really isn't the big boost people think it is. Extra time supports only those who need it, and has little beneficial impact on those who don't - it confers no advantage (see Duncan & Purcell). Extra time doesn't make you know stuff you don't know.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

Great and important video. Navigating the hellish sensory environment of campus is a huge issue for autistic students - especially in Halls and shared learning spaces. Not to mention hyposensitivity often leading to wellbeing issues.

Pete Wharmby

@commaficionado

2 years

My new video on autism and sensory sensitivity - I go through the five main senses exploring the varied effects that can occur. Here's the link:

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

@silverpebble I'm glad you're getting help Emma and here's hoping for a new way to outwit your depression. Meanwhile here's a photo of a rainbow that appeared before me when I was out having a sad think about a much missed friend. Thinking of you ❤️

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

8 months

This is great! Perfect for people like me, who have written their actual resignation letter on the basis of one perceived telling off. Or deleted an entire Teams chat because there's one triggering comment in it. Or spent a decade dwelling on something offhand someone once said.

Emily♡

@ItsEmilyKaty

8 months

Rejection sensitive dysphoria is hard to live with. Here are some of the things I have learned from @LeanneMaskell1 . 🫶

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

TW: student suicide It's so hard to read about such tragic cases as this, and the others that are so similar. We have to do better as a Sector - and it's not like we've not been given the information to do so. Here goes what feels like a depressingly repetitive thread🧵

Sunday Blake

@SundayMargot

4 months

NEW on Wonkhe: Jim Dickinson identifies the policy implications for the sector from a recent coroner's report into the death by suicide of a student at the University of Southampton

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Feels timely to remind people involved in university teaching, learning and assessment that inclusive practice DOES NOT mean you get to ignore all reasonable adjustments. Inclusive does not always equal accessible.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

This is infuriating 😡. If you insist on interviews as part of recruitment then at the very least follow some basic accessibility principles (and really recruitment practices as a whole need serious review). It's really quite easy. It's also the law.

Pete Wharmby

@commaficionado

3 years

Employers - please read. I had a second interview with a company that culminated in me having a serious meltdown. This could easily have been avoided. #AutismAcceptanceMonth

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

@silverpebble My mum, who lived with a terminal diagnosis for two years, always said that the best and only adequate response to sharing bad health news was 'sh*t'. Beacuse it is.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@M4ttp4rky @BethMatthewsz So many of us are far away and won't be able to make it in person, but there will be a huge number of us there in spirit, for you and for Beth, honouring her memory together at the same time. We miss her ❤️

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

7 months

If you're creating a Word doc or PowerPoint, and you see this little phrase down the bottom of the screen, it means what you've created is not accessible, and you need to make changes. Click on it and it will take you to the Accessibility Checker, which will explain what to do.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

@paulpowlesland The first any of us knew was when the chainsaws started at 8am one morning - they didn't follow process in notifying residents. It was already too late to save them. The Council even went against their own Tree Officer and the external organisation which they consulted.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

It's not enough to talk about inclusion in general terms. We need specific measures for accessibility, and a clear plan to address the current accessibility issues.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

@HumanistQuaker I'm hoping (if that's the right word) that the teacher was repeating something from an (outdated) text book. Eldest did say that he was interested in what she had to say rather than dismissing her so we'll take that as a win.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

Please listen to this incredibly moving but important interview with @widow_waiting and @drkathrynmannix about the #AnticipatoryGrief of living with the inevitable death of someone you love. It's important we talk about this topic, however hard it may be #SadnessButNotFear

Widow in Waiting

@widow_waiting

2 years

You can listen to the interview here: Segment starts at 1:11:23. Huge thanks to @kayeadams for her kind & sensitive questions, to the wonderful @drkathrynmannix , & to my awesome twitter pals for the lovely feedback. #FoundMyTribe #AnticipatoryGrief

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

So, to extend this discussion, I feel the need to highlight just how much expertise Professional Services staff are expected to have, most of which is largely unrecognised and undervalued. A thread 🧵

Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Interesting. Are we saying that pastoral support is specialist and important (in which case pay your PS staff properly and raise their status)? Or that academics shouldn't have to bother with fuzzy pastoral support, which is the domain of lower paid/status 'support' staff? 🤔

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

For autistic students on campus sensory overload is often one of the primary causes of overwhelm and meltdown. It's why we have a Quiet Room in Dis Services. And it's why remote learning was good for so many autistic students (though online learning also creates sensory issues).

Emily♡

@ItsEmilyKaty

3 years

What is sensory overload and over-stimulation, and what does it feel like for me as an autistic person? - a thread. /1

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

11 months

The way (most) universities respond to autistic students is a classic example of the Double Empathy Problem in action.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

It's also a problem because disabled PGRs do not declare their disability at the rate of disabled UGs. Is this because they fear declaring disability? Or because PGR level study is too inaccessible? Either way, we need to recognise this and actually do something about it.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@commaficionado Any interest in supporting disabled (esp neurodivergent) university students? You'd be qualified to be a Specialist Study Skills tutor and lots of ex-teachers do this work. You'd be amazing at this!

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

So, it's #DyscalculiaDay today. I'm dyscalculic, and here's my experience of it. A thread 🧵

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@commaficionado 'Calm down, quiet down and slow down' - that's what I tell staff who might encounter autistic students in meltdown. Most of all, stop asking questions!

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

Excellent tips from Pete on making school a little less unbearable for autistic students ⬇️ As usual, these don't cost money and don't take a lot of time or effort. They just take willingness to adapt and a little bit of basic human empathy and understanding.

Pete Wharmby

@commaficionado

2 years

Easy fixes that schools can implement today to help their autistic students - a thread just off the top of my head. If you're involved in edutwitter, please retweet into your circles. 🧵🧵🧵

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

5 months

My lovely mum died 18 years ago tonight 😔. Bit of a rotten time of year to be continually reminded of the endless grieving process, but we raise a glass of her beloved gin to her, in her very own gin glass. Much love to everyone else who has lost someone at this time of year ❤️

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

@HollieStaffor12 Yep, that's part of the problem with inaccessible exams which are not inclusive, and which force a requirement for extra time, which creates its own issues. Traditional exams are really not a great way to assess people. We might look at split exams at uni.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

5 years

I was asked today if I'd collaborate on research relating to the positives of autism as highlighted in my infographic. I said yes, but only if the research was designed and led by autistic researchers. Any takers?! #AutisticsInAcademia #AskingAutistics #autism #positives

Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

5 years

My thoughts on the positive aspects of autism #autism #neurodiversity #acceptance #positives #flipthenegatives #infographic #oneyearon

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

@WoodinRivers Staff disclosures are way, way behind students - in the order of 4% (from memory), which drops as you move up in 'seniority'. Often no equivalent to Disability Services for staff, poor institutional understanding and zero psychological (or actual) safety for disclosure

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@Corvid189592286 @EmilyBronwen Number 2 is definitely quicker. I also quite enjoyed returning an unflinching, unblinking, dead-eyed stare in total silence. Or if my other kids were there, an overly cheerful 'oh dear, we have to go now, mummy's upset the patriarchy again'.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

3 years

It's not often I can sit down for a 2 hour training session at the end of a hard 12 hour work day and feel MORE engaged and invigorated (and righteously furious) than at the start. That's how good @KieranRose7 is. Exceptional first session of Inside of Autism, thank you 👏

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

@taperoo2k And that's literally the point of extra time! It enables someone to demonstrate their knowledge effectively. Which, I'm pretty sure, is why we bother with exams in the first place.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

10 months

15 year old had 14 inches of hair cut off to donate to @LPTrustUK today. One of her friends said 'but this is so sad, your hair is so lovely' and daughter said 'I KNOW IT'S LOVELY, THAT'S WHY I'M DONATING IT' and that's the wholesome message we all needed today.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

Interesting. Are we saying that pastoral support is specialist and important (in which case pay your PS staff properly and raise their status)? Or that academics shouldn't have to bother with fuzzy pastoral support, which is the domain of lower paid/status 'support' staff? 🤔

Jill Stevenson

@stirjilly

1 year

“Academics should not be personal tutors.” Informed viewpoint of a panellist at #SecretLife23 who argues that pastoral support should be provided by professional services staff. Massive applause from the audience!

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

@Barnacl3s It's so common! And it's not that students 'can't' understand the question, it's that the question 'could' have multiple meanings, so time and brain space is wasted thinking about it and puzzling over it, and potentially not feeling able to answer it.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

This is really important and an example of a really simple adjustment that makes a massive difference - for everyone, not just autistic people (slide from one of my training sessions for academic staff).

Emily♡

@ItsEmilyKaty

2 years

Why autistic people can struggle with instructions. - a thread. /1

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

4 months

@EdgarMoose43433 I can see we're not going to agree here, which is fine. Though I'd appreciate not being called regressive, backward or other pejorative terms. I have evidenced my understanding, as have others. Your anger with me is misplaced.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

2 years

@commaficionado I've just finished writing some staff guidance on effective communication between autistic and non-autistic people and very much feeling this tweet.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

6 months

12 days until we close for Christmas and the rapidly crumbling ship that is my poor team may not make it. I think this is the toughest first semester we've had in a long, long time.

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Harriet Cannon

@HarrietCannon

1 year

It's a shame that UKRI and several of the RCs have not used this opportunity to set out structural changes which would better support disabled PGRs. And a shame that most have not really acknowledged the size of the problem.

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