Study Support

Louis, 47, gained a first class honours degree in literature, studying Shakespeare, Dickens and other classics, as well as modern drama, philosophy and creative writing. Her husband Phil, 46, graduated with an honours degree in psychology, which is recognised by the British Psychological Society.

Louise had to give up on her degree in Astrophysics at Manchester University when she suddenly lost her sight aged 30 and while bringing up her three-year-old daughter.

Louise said: “Coping with sudden sight loss, accepting new limitations and giving up on a long held dream was a tough experience that took many years to adjust to. I still needed a great deal of determination and commitment to get my degree, and the second chance offered by The Open University provided the means.”

Phil became visually impaired at the age of 10 when at primary school. He was educated in special schools until he was 20 when he decided that the jobs then on offer at the time - basket weaving, piano tuning and telephony - weren’t for him. He went on to gain an HND in Computer Science and after a short spell as a software engineer and lecturer Phil found his vocation in public relations, working for Deafblind UK, RNIB and a Whitehall Department.

It wasn’t until five years ago, after a protracted period of ill health and becoming registered as deaf and blind, that Phil was able to pursue his interest in psychology and begin a degree with The Open University.

Support to study
Both Louise and Phil have guide dogs who have attended residential schools and tutorials with them during their studies.

Louise and Phil have other impairments which has made working full time or full time study in a ‘brick’ university extremely challenging.

Phil said: “The great thing about the OU is you can study at your own pace, take rests when you need them and it all fits around the needs of your impairments. You can even do your exams at home with extra time and rest breaks.”

Louise added: “The OU have been brilliant at making materials accessible and providing a gateway to grants for people to read course materials. Tutors, librarians and other staff deserve our thanks for going out of their way to support our needs. Without them, our journey would have been impossible.”

Louise and Phil's daughter Maya (pictured below), worked as a non-medical helper  during the degrees, reading course materials and proof reading assignments and guided her parents onto the platform at the ceremony. Maya is now at university in Liverpool.

Louise said: “I’ve written some plays and performance poetry for local organisations and hope in due course to be able to turn this into my career. I would particularly like to combine my two passions of science and writing to produce works which inspire young people to pursue an interest in the sciences.”

Phil added: “I hope one day to be able to return to the employment market even if it’s not in a conventional nine to five way. I’m a passionate campaigner for the rights of blind and partially sighted people and think my background in public relations, my studies in psychology and hopefully a masters in disability studies will fit together to turn these interests into an income stream.”

Louise and Phil intend to focus their determination and talents on leaving the benefits system behind, while working within their physical limitations to earn their income and independence. 

Find out more:

• Graduates share their study experiences
• Services for disabled students
• Graduation ceremonies 2012/13
• Study a qualification with the OU

Frances Perlman (pictured) has signed up for a law degree with the OU and hopes to work in citizen's rights, when she qualifies. But what inspired her to court the law? Here she shares her inspiration...

Mr. W studied his plump, white fingers and said to them: “You must have imagined it.  I never told you to leave.”

“But you did!” I protested. “How can you deny it?”

He shook his head. “Can we just get on with the work?” he asked.

“No, we can’t,” I said.  “I need that letter from you.”

“I am certainly not giving you a letter,” he said. “You are the one who is choosing to leave.  I never told you to go.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He was blatantly lying.  How dare he? Only last Friday, just before I had gone home, Mr. W had told me that for health reasons he could no longer go on with his project. He asked me to think over the weekend when would be a good date for me to leave, and reassured me that he would give me an excellent reference as well as the necessary letter. The conversation had gone on for about fifteen minutes, and now he was denying that it had ever taken place.

Let me explain the situation at this point. This exchange did not take place in the UK but in a part of the world where I had been residing for a number of years. In that country, if an employer doesn’t give a leaving employee a letter stating that he or she is being released on good terms, the employee could find himself unable to get another job and almost certainly be denied unemployment benefits. Nobody would wish to find themselves in such a predicament, and I was a single mother with two children.

'But I had never actually considered that the law could protect me... Not that long ago, employers could get away with murder. They can’t anymore'

I suspect that over the weekend Mr. W had changed his mind about my leaving, began to panic that he wouldn’t find anyone to replace me who knew the work so well, and was hoping to frighten me into staying.  Underhand, spiteful and deceitful, but the truth is, I had seen flashes of that side of him over the years.  It just never affected me personally.

I said no more to Mr. W then, and he probably thought he had won, but I was already planning to contact a lawyer as soon as I left the office.  I had never had much to do with lawyers, but this one had helped with a matter to do with my flat, and he had seemed okay. As soon as I was outside in the street after work, I called him.

“Frances. Can’t talk long,” he said.

“Just give me a minute,” I pleaded, though actually expecting long, drawn out conversations and expensive visits to his office.

“Fire away.”

So I told the lawyer what had taken place with Mr. W, summing it up as best as I could.

“Nothing to worry about,” he said. “The law’s on your side. He has to give you the letter. You’ve been there longer than a year.” Now that I hadn’t expected.

“The law’s on my side?” I repeated.

“Yes.  Got to go.  Bye.”

The law was on my side. These were the words I kept hearing on the way home. Mr. W couldn’t cheat me and get away with it.  I had the backing of the law. Where would I have been without it?

Up until then, though I had a vague interest in legal matters, I mainly saw it through TV dramas, the kind where when lawyers aren’t captivating the jury with scintillating summations they are eyeing one another lasciviously at meetings.  =I also knew that lawyers came in handy with prenups.

But I had never actually considered that the law could protect me. I started to remember things I had heard from people who belonged to the generation before me. “The boss wanted me to sleep with him or he would fire me. I was afraid of starving.  What could I do?” “I couldn’t refuse to work 24 hour shifts.  I had a wife and kids to support.”

Not that long ago, employers could get away with murder. They can’t anymore. I went back to work the following day and told Mr. W that if he didn’t give me the letter I would take legal action. He must have known the law because he didn’t try to argue with me.  I got the letter.

And then, when I had the opportunity to return to the UK and decided to study with the OU, I didn’t hesitate when it came to choosing a subject.  It would be the law. I really hope I have the privilege one day of being able to reassure someone “The law is on your side”.

What inspired you to study?