Additional Support and Disability Advice Centre

• Will the university consider me to be 'disabled'?

  Equality Act

  The Equality Act 2010 defines a disabled person as someone who has a mental or physical impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on the person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

  • Substantial - in other words not minor or trivial. The person is still considered disabled if the effects of their impairment are alleviated or removed by ongoing treatments or aids (with the exception of spectacles)
  • Long term - the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for more than 12 months
  • Day-to-day activities - these are considered in context, so as well as including such matters as eating, washing and walking, will also include activities regularly encountered by a student in Higher Education such as note-taking, sustained periods of concentration, reading, writing and researching

  University

  Consequently, from the University perspective, if you have a long term condition that substantially impacts on your ability to access the campus, the curriculum, the teaching, learning and assessment process and all other university services available to students, you will be regarded as a disabled student and eligible to be considered for adjustment and support as appropriate.

  This will normally include all students with:

  • Long standing illnesses or conditions (e.g. diabetes, epilepsy, chronic fatigue syndrome, Crohn's disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis, severe facial disfigurement, HIV)
  • Mental health difficulties (e.g. depression, anxiety disorders)
  • Sensory impairments (e.g. Deaf, blind, serious sight or hearing impairment)
  • Mobility impairments (e.g. wheelchair user, dexterity difficulties)
  • Specific learning difficulty (e.g. dyslexia, AD(H)D, dyspraxia)
  • Social impairment (e.g. Asperger Syndrome, Autistic Spectrum Disorder)

• Will the University require evidence of my disability?

  Yes:	If you need to access any adjustments to teaching and assessment practices such as extra time in exams, the University will need you to provide documentary evidence to confirm the impact of your disability.
  Yes:	If you intend to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances you will also need to provide your funding authority with evidence to confirm your disability.
  No:	If you do not have any support requirements as a consequence of your disability, then it is not necessary to provide evidence. However it may still be beneficial for ASDAC to hold such information on file in case your circumstances change and support does become necessary.

  Confidentiality of your information

  ASDAC will hold your evidence documentation on our confidential files; it will not be circulated anywhere else without your explicit agreement.

  What constitutes suitable evidence?

  Physical, sensory, mental health, and other medical conditions:

  In most cases a letter from an appropriately qualified medical practitioner confirming your disability and the nature of the difficulties it presents you with will be sufficient. Guidance on the provision of medical evidence letters can be found here.

  Specific Learning Difficulties and other cognitive impairments:

  Evidence requirements are more specific and rigorous and are set down by external governing bodies. Essentially you will need to be assessed after your 16th birthday using tests designed for use with adults as opposed to children. The assessment will need to contain an assessment of your underlying cognitive ability as well as any areas of difficulty such as literacy and will need to be carried out by an appropriately qualified professional tutor or psychologist. Further guidance can be found here.

• Why should I disclose my disability?

  Confidentiality

  The University takes the confidentiality of any disclosure very seriously. You have the right to keep details of your disability (or the support you are receiving) confidential at all times. Information about your disability and support needs may be disseminated on a 'need to know' basis but only after you have given your explicit agreement. Should you wish certain details of your disability and/or support needs to remain confidential then we will abide by your wishes.

  Advantages

  We actively encourage you to disclose all your disability-related issues so that we can better advise you regarding available support in light of the full picture of your needs. ASDAC will make no assumptions about or attempt diagnosis of any personal implications of your disability and will only address needs advised to us by you or contained within your evidence or reports. There is a wealth of support potentially available to help redress any disability-related barriers you may experience in accessing your studies to full effect, but we can only help you to access these if we know what you need.

  What if I don't?

  Non-disclosure means that the University will not be aware you may have additional needs, and therefore no additional support will provided to you. You will not be able to rely on a late disclosure of disability to obtain retrospective adjustments to poor marks.

  Early disclosure

  We actively encourage you to disclose at as early an opportunity as you can, normally on your application for study (UCAS form). This enables us to contact you early to discuss your support requirements and ensure that you are happy that the University can provide adequate support to enable you to complete your course of studies.

  In very rare cases there may be core course requirements that cannot be adjusted or compensated for to meet your needs, or a lack of appropriate support available to accommodate relevant aspects of certain disabilities. In these cases, a late disclosure may result in you being committed to a course of study that your disability makes it impossible for you to complete and/or find work in an associated profession. Early disclosure means that we can discuss the details with you and help you find alternative study paths that will meet your aspirations before such commitment takes place.

• How can I assist in getting my support in place before I start my course?

  Contact ASDAC

  Simply contacting ASDAC well before enrolment to discuss your support needs with us will provide an opportunity to identify any specific issues that might need attention in your particular case. At least one Disability Officer is always on duty between 9.30 am and 4.30 pm throughout the calendar year and we will follow up any enquiries as soon as possible if all available Officers are busy at the time you get in touch.

  Apply For Your Disabled Students' Allowance

  This is probably the single most important thing that you can do to ensure that all your support can be put in place from the outset. We recommend that you apply not later than May to ensure your support is in place for September enrolment in the same year. The process of applying for the DSA can take considerable time, and Assessment Centres are very busy during the summer and autumn so the sooner you apply the better.

  The following check list may be of assistance.

  Have you...?

  		Yes	No
  1.	Obtained up-to-date evidence of your disability that will be acceptable when applying for the DSA? (Either medical evidence from a GP/Consultant or a post-16 assessment for Specific Learning Difficulties).	▫	▫
  2.	Provided ASDAC with a copy of your evidence?	▫	▫
  3.	Completed a DSA application?	▫	▫
  4.	Returned the DSA application form to your funding authority (Student Finance England, Wales of N. Ireland, SAAS, NHS, or Research Council), together with your evidence of disability?	▫	▫
  5.	Returned the DSA application form to your funding authority (Student Finance England, Wales of N. Ireland, SAAS, NHS, or Research Council), together with your evidence of disability?	▫	▫
  6.	Received a letter from your funding authority confirming agreement to fund support and advising you to arrange a Study Needs Assessment?	▫	▫
  7.	Booked a Needs Assessment appointment with a recognised Assessment Centre? (Only do this if your funding authority has advised you to do so)	▫	▫
  8.	Received a copy of your Study Needs Assessment report from the Assessment Centre?	▫	▫
  9.	Provided ASDAC with a copy of your Study Needs Assessment report?	▫	▫
  10.	Received a letter from your funding authority confirming the support they agree to pay for?	▫	▫
  11.	Contacted suppliers to order any recommended equipment/support?	▫	▫
  12.	Contacted ASDAC to make an appointment with a Disability Officer to review your support needs? We're open during the vacation and happy to see you then or once you've enrolled on the course	▫	▫

  Contact ASDAC if you:

  • Have received a letter from your funding authority advising that you are not eligible for the DSA
  • Would like a DSA application form e-mailed to you (NB: Alternatively, you can normally download a copy from your funding authority's website)
  • Need advice on your eligibility for DSA and/or on what constitutes acceptable evidence
  • Need help or advice with filling in the necessary forms
  • Have any questions about the DSA application process, the needs assessment process or your support requirements while at the University
  • Would like to arrange your needs assessment through our local assessment centre (WNAC) to take place here in Portsmouth

  Apply for Accommodation as early as possible

  If your disability means that you will require Halls accommodation (particularly those who require any form of adapted accommodation to facilitate access) as well as making an early application you should also contact ASDAC. We can then advise you on the availability and suitability of appropriate rooms. An early application is very strongly advised as Hall spaces are normally provisionally allocated well before the end of June so the success of later applications will be dependent upon cancellations from students already holding firm reservations for rooms.

• What are reasonable adjustments

  HE teaching and assessment

  Essentially the undergraduate teaching process is aimed at introducing and developing generic learning skills alongside relevant subject matter to which these skills can be applied - 'how to think and where to look things up'. The fundamental purpose is to provide you with independent learning skills that can be used for life-long learning including postgraduate study and the workplace.

  The assessment process is intended to provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate the extent to which these skills and the associated subject based knowledge have been acquired.

  Reasonable adjustments

  Reasonable adjustments are therefore intended to minimise, as far as is reasonably possible, any adverse impacts a disability or disabilities might have on your capacity to access the teaching and assessment processes and typical examples would include:

  • Provision of extra time in timed assessments
  • Course materials in alternative formats
  • Timetabling adjustments to facilitate access
  • Altering the method of an assessment

  However, reasonable adjustments do not apply to the outcomes of these processes - i.e. the achievement of the appropriate learnings (the academic/competency standards) and their successful demonstration through appropriate assessment. Consequently, examples of what will not be implemented as reasonable adjustments include:

  • Not undertaking an assessment or providing a 'simpler' academic challenge
  • 'Two tier' or 'sympathetic' marking practices
  • Proof reading

  For more information on reasonable adjustments to assessment see this Extract from Examinations and Assessment Regulations.

• What other support is available?

  Equipment Loans

  Assistive software and hardware facilities are available for loan from ASDAC if you are unable to access external personal funding such as the Disabled Students' Allowance. These can also be lent out in the short term if you are experiencing unreasonable delay in accessing such funding. We also have other equipment such as digital voice recorders and magnifiers for visually impaired students and these can also be accessed, subject to availability.

  Accessible Workstations

  There are ten accessible workstations distributed across campus to maximise access to computers and content for vision impaired students. These are mounted on height adjustable platforms and have specialist peripherals to facilitate ready access by physically handicapped students. They also have specialist OCR scanners to provide a means of loading text based materials into the PC environment for manipulation by the assistive software on the servers.

  Assistive Software

  Software accessible through the University network includes:

  Language support - Text Help Read & Write, Claro (text to speech) and Dragon (speech to text). Features cover aspects such as:

  • Understanding full meaning of text
  • Enhanced self expression
  • Confidence in producing written work
  • Spelling, Grammar, Content

  Organisation (mind mapping) - Inspiration, MindView. Features cover:

  • Note taking
  • Referencing
  • Organisation of information

  Vision Impairment - Zoom Text, Supernova programs

  • Full and partial screen enlargement
  • Access to applications, documents, email and the Internet
  • Navigation tools to launch programs and find documents on the desktop

  Library Support

  The University Library provides extensive personal support and facilities for disabled students. For details go to http://www.port.ac.uk/library/services/disabilityservices/

  Other Student Support Services

  Other support services of particular relevance to disabled students include Student Housing, the Student Finance Centre, Counselling (and Mental Health Advice), ASK, Chaplaincy, Careers, the International Office and Sport and Recreation, all of which can be accessed at http://www.port.ac.uk/staffessentials/departments/studentsupport/

• Can the University provide accessible accommodation?

  Prioritisation

  The University will consider prioritising Halls accommodation allocations for those students with profound mobility-limiting disabilities, sensory impairments, and social/communication difficulties. The same does not apply for students who simply experience organisational difficulties on account of cognitive impairments such as specific learning difficulties.

  Stock

  The University has a limited stock of 'accessible' rooms, subject to availability. These rooms have been adapted for different purposes, and include:

  • Physical access:- wheelchair access, ensuite wet-room facilities, automated doors, and accessible kitchens (where appropriate depending on catering options chosen)
  • Sensory access:- rooms fitted with flashing light alarms in place of audible alarms, facilities for vibrating pillows, and improved lighting

  Carers

  NB: Where a resident carer is necessary, the University can normally provide an adjacent room in your Hall of Residence so that the carer can be available to you throughout the night. The cost of this additional room would need to be met by Social Services or your PCT as part of your care package.

  Application

  If you are likely to require such accommodation please do get in touch early during your application; we will need to discuss your individual needs in order to ensure that your needs can be met.

• What are the main differences between school/college and University support arrangements?

  Funding Arrangements for Disable Students

  Unlike School and Further Education College courses, Higher Education courses at University do not attract any Additional Learning Support funding to cover the costs of supporting students with additional needs. Instead, all such funding is awarded to the individual student for their own purchase of recommended support through the DSA.

  This means that the University has no funding available to employ additional learning support assistants so none are available in any lectures, seminars or tutorials.

  The DSA is consequently critical in enabling students to employ suitable support workers such as note-takers, interpreters, personal assistants, and mentors as well as acquire relevant assistive technology. ASDAC assists students in accessing support workers through arrangements with specialist employment agencies and the provision of DSA funded specialist tutors. This means that although the student is technically the employer, the University or agency deals with all the tax, National Insurance, holiday pay and other complications of staff employment on their behalf.

  In-Class Personal Support

  This funding difference does mean that the only 1-to-1 support for disabled students is that which is recommended in the DSA Needs Assessment. This can be considerably less than you might have experienced previously where you may have had a classroom assistant generally available to assist on demand. This difference is completely consistent with the HE emphasis on independent learning but can come as something of a shock if you have become accustomed to immediately accessible ad hoc support in respect of your teaching, learning and assessment experience to date. In actuality, the Needs Assessment should have recommended appropriate and sufficient support for you, and this can also be re-visited if it consequently turns out to be insufficient or lacking. So the main difference will be in the planning and approach to this support, generally requiring you to make more decisions for yourself about how best to deploy your DSA resources and maximise the benefits of the assistance that your support workers can provide.

  Policy Differences

  The independent learning culture at University means that support is aimed explicitly at enabling you to 'do it for yourself', and avoiding any tendency towards someone 'doing it for you' or in other ways compromising the achievement of the academic standard. Lectures, for example, will always aim to avoid any suggestion of 'spoon-feeding' and will consciously leave much unsaid for you to research further under your own initiative. This general culture applies as equally to disabled students as it does to non-disabled students and may consequently lead to some differences to your experience so far. Obviously practice varies widely between Schools and Colleges but examples could include:

  • Proof reading
    The expectation is that all submitted work will be entirely your own so instead of proof reading services you will be provided with the relevant study skills techniques and the associated technology to enable you to proof read your own work independently of others.

  • Extension or movement of coursework deadlines
    While these can be accommodated for reasons relating to disability, this will be for relatively exceptional cases through a structural adjustment such as a reduced overall pace of study or alternative modes of assessment that is pre-planned, agreed and put in place from the outset. ASDAC can advise, assist and liaise with Departments on your behalf should such arrangements be required and will monitor outcomes closely to check that they are effective in meeting your needs.

    A general option to seek extensions on an ad hoc basis is not available as it can lead to a cumulative and ultimately unmanageable backlog of unfinished work as the course proceeds and also completely undermines the necessary development of a systematic study habit. Study skills sessions on time management and a planned approach to study are instead provided.

    On the other hand, although disability generally is not covered by the University's separate Extenuating Circumstances (EC) framework, if you do experience an unforeseen worsening of your condition that does affect your ability to complete work on time or sit an assessment then you are eligible for consideration under EC rules, in the same way as all students who fall unexpectedly ill while at the University.

    "Sympathetic" or "two-tier" marking. While all reasonable adjustments to the processes of assessment are made, no adjustment is made to the outcome. Consequently all submitted work is assessed on the same criteria for all students. Instead, the emphasis is on the provision of relevant study skills support, inclusive marking practices and adjustments to the assessment process.

  • Library loan periods
    The resources of the University Library resources are under considerable pressure from all students, and it therefore strictly adheres to existing loan periods in order to be fair to all. If you think that your disability will prevent you from fully utilising library resources within the loan periods available then you should raise this with your Needs Assessor who can include provision for you to use the DSA General Allowance to cover the costs of either photocopying materials or purchasing personal copies of relevant texts.

  Evidence Requirements

  These may be different from those that were sufficient for you to access school and college additional learning support and adjustments, particularly in respect of application for DSA. For details of evidence requirements please see the "Will the University require evidence of my disability?" and "I think I am dyslexic but do not have up-to-date evidence. Can you help me?" sections of this FAQ guide.

• I think I am dyslexic but do not have up-to-date evidence. Can you help me?

  Responsibility for Evidence

  It is your responsibility to provide appropriate evidence to confirm the presence of a disability before adjustments can be made and for application for the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA). If you have been assessed previously, but your evidence is not up to date (i.e. you were last assessed prior to your 16th birthday) or suitable (the assessment was not thorough enough to confirm an adult diagnosis of a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD)) then we can refer you to appropriate professionals to obtain a fresh assessment.

  What Constitutes Suitable Evidence of a SpLD?

  There are strict guidelines that dictate who can conduct these assessments, and what format their reports should take. In broad terms these guidelines state that:

  • Your assessment must have been carried out since your sixteenth birthday
  • Your assessment must have been carried out by:
  • an educational psychologist (EP) who holds a current practising certificate issued by their relevant professional association (you can search for psychologists in your area using the search facility on the British Psychological Society's website www.bps.org.uk), or by
  • a specialist teacher who holds a current practising certificate for assessing specific learning difficulties issued by their relevant professional association (e.g. the Professional Association of Teachers of Students with Specific Learning Difficulties (PATOSS) or Dyslexia Action)

  Your assessment must have included tests of underlying cognitive ability as well any areas of specific difficulty such as literacy skills.

  Obtaining Assessments in Good Time

  Ideally you will want to ensure that you have suitable evidence available by the early summer of the year in which you join the University, so that you can apply in good time for your DSA. It is essential that you apply early to ensure that any support you require is in place from the start of your course, not several months later. Ideally you will have obtained an assessment by the end of May in order to get your DSA application started early enough. Details of where you can go to obtain an assessment can be found in our information sheet: Sources of Assessment for SpLD.

  Financial Help

  Unfortunately we are only able to help existing students, not applicants. Once registered on a course of study with the University, home (UK) students become eligible to apply for support from the University's Access to Learning Funds. This fund can be used to assist with some of the costs of obtaining an assessment. At present eligible students can receive a 60% contribution towards the cost, and can also apply for a means tested top-up to a 100% contribution.

  Will it Take Long?

  Yes. For this reason, if you already have good reason to believe that you have a Specific Learning Difficulty, then we very strongly recommend that you do not wait until enrolment but act as advised above and get the appropriate evidence in place well before registration.

  The process from application for assessment to getting support in place can be over four months at peak times of demand (4 weeks to EP appointment, 2 weeks to receipt of report, 3 weeks for your funding authority to approve a DSA application, 3 weeks to Needs Assessment appointment, 2 weeks to receipt of report, 2 weeks for your funding authority to agree report recommendations, 2 weeks to put them in place - 18 weeks).

  Christmas will add another two weeks to this process, so even if you commence application on the very first day of your registration, you are unlikely to have a full support package in place until well into your second term at University. Which is not a good start.

• I need parking - can this be arranged?

  Parking for Blue Badge Holders Only

  Parking in the city of Portsmouth is extremely restricted, and equally so within the University's control. Therefore priority parking can only be considered if you are in possession of a disabled persons parking badge (Blue Badge Scheme). For these students a free parking permit is made available to park in designated disabled parking bays.

  Note: There can be competition for spaces at peak times, so there is no guarantee that spaces will always be available in the immediate vicinity of each and every University building.

  Taxis

  If you do not qualify for a University parking permit, but for reasons of disability need to park nearby, you are encouraged to apply for DSA contributions towards alternative transport costs such as taxis.

  Note: Should you be granted funding for the use of taxis within the city of Portsmouth area then your Funding Authority should not deduct an equivalent public transport cost from your expenses. This is because you otherwise be using the free transportation provided by the University's bus service.

  Free University Bus Service

  A free, and accessible, University run bus service connects the main campus areas, Southsea and the Langstone Student Village.

• Can the university provide support workers such as note-takers, and interpreters?

  As well as own our in-house specialist 1-to-1 study skills and assistive technology tuition services, ASDAC has developed long-standing collaborative and referral arrangements with external support agencies which specialise in the provision of other personal support services.

  Our Disability Officers can advise on and assist with referrals to the relevant agency, each of which provide a range of different forms of support that collectively cover such activities as note-taking, transcription, physical assistance with practical tasks related to study, specialist mentoring and guidance, interpretation support and mobility assistance. Provided the support is recommended in your Needs Assessment, all services provided by these agencies will be invoiced to, and funded directly by, your DSA provider. Our main external agencies are:

  Note-taking, personal assistance/facilitation, academic support

  Clear Links Support Ltd
  G2 Building
  12 Leeds Road
  Sheffield
  S9 3TY
  Tel: 0845 833 9971
  E-mail: info@clear-links.co.uk

  Note: We have had close collaborative links including a formal service level agreement with Clear Links since 2004.

  Academic Mentoring for students with social impairments

  Hampshire Autistic Society
  1634 Parkway
  Solent Business Park
  Whiteley
  Hampshire
  PO15 7AH
  Tel: 01489 880881
  Fax: 01489 880890
  Email: info@has.org.uk

  Note: We have an outreach HAS unit of dedicated specialist support workers located within the University's Nuffield Centre working in close collaboration with ASDAC Disability Officers.

  Interpretation Services

  SONUS
  Spitfire House
  28-29 High Street
  Southampton
  SO14 2DF
  Direct Dial: 023 8021 3888
  Fax: 023 8021 3881
  Email: enquiries@sonus.org.uk

  Mobility Training

  Sensory Impairment & Deaf Services Team
  Portsmouth City Council
  Horizon Resource Centre
  Sundridge Close
  Cosham
  Hampshire
  PO6 3LP
  Tel: 023 9237 3362 (voice)
  Tel: 023 9232 2117 (textphone)
  Fax: 023 9232 2115
  E-mail: SensoryTeam@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

• Are there any other sources of funding available?

  On the whole disabled students' support requirements are met through the Disabled Students' Allowances and/or their Social Services. This page summarises some other additional sources of funding support that you may be able to access.

  University Funds

  Access to Learning Fund
  The Access to Learning Fund, administered by the University's Student Finance Centre, can provide extra help if you are in hardship and need extra financial support. Depending on your circumstances, assistance may be available for:

  • Course (part-time only) or living costs that are not covered by other forms of financial support and could include travel, childcare or support over the summer vacation (subject to funds being available).
  • Emergency payments to cover unexpected financial crises or exceptional costs or if you are thinking of giving up your course for financial reasons.

  Click to find out more

  Harry Law Disability Support Fund

  If you have exhausted all other means of financial support (e.g. student loan, Access to Learning Funds), then a limited number of bursaries of up to £300 to cover disability-related expenditure are available from the Harry Law Disability Support Fund. This fund is means-tested. Application forms and further information are available from ASDAC.

  Download an application form. Editable version here

  Disability Benefits

  Depending upon your disability, you may be able to claim certain benefits, (e.g. Income Support, Housing Benefit, and Disability Living Allowance). This will be in addition to your student loan and Disabled Students Allowance. The Student Finance Centre will be able to advise you on what and how to claim.

  Charitable Funds

  A small number of educational trusts and charities offer financial assistance to students with particular disabilities, e.g. sensory impairment. This list is compiled from information received by ASDAC. It is not exhaustive; other charitable funds may be available. If you come across others, please let ASDAC know so we can pass on this information to other students.

  Snowdon Award Scheme

  The Snowdon Award Scheme is a charity that provides grants of between £250 - £2,500 to students with physical or sensory disability, to help them complete further or higher education or training. These help cover additional costs, like computers, mobility equipment or human help that push up the already high costs of being a student or trainee.

  Click to find out more

  The Graham Rushton Award for Blind and Partially Sighted Law Students

  This grant of around £7,000 is aimed at visually impaired students studying English Law in the United Kingdom. Priority is given to applicants who have reached a stage in their studies where other funding sources (e.g. Disabled Students Allowances) are not available, such as a Legal Practice Course (LCP) or Bar Vocational Course (BVC).

  The fund is administered by the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in collaboration with the Society of Visually Impaired Lawyers (SOVIL).

  Further information from Caroline Huntley, 020 7391 2256.

  The Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust for Deaf, Deafened and Hearing Impaired Students

  The Peter Greenwood Memorial Trust offers financial assistance to Deaf, deafened and hearing impaired students who are in further or higher education or on a training course. Bursaries are available to assist with the costs of attending a course, such as help towards books, materials, course related visits, etc. The Trust does not contribute towards general day-to-day expenses such as travel or living expenses.

  For further information and an application pack visit the PGMT website.

• Will I be expected to pay for any support?

  Home (UK) Students

  Academic Support
  UK students are normally eligible to obtain financial support from their funding authority to cover the costs of any 'additional' academic-related support needs. Additional needs are those that arise directly as a consequence of your disability, not simply because you are a student. This support is provided via the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA). The DSA covers costs associated with assistive technology, support workers, travel, and some other general costs. How much you can get does not depend on your income, or that of your family, but it does depend on a 'needs assessment'. A needs assessment will be carried out at an independent assessment centre by a person with specialist knowledge, who will work out what kind of help or support you will need to make sure you get the best out of your time at university or college. Further information about the DSA can be obtained from ASDAC and/or your funding authority.

  • Student Finance England
  • Student Finance Wales
  • Student Finance Northern Ireland
  • Student Awards Agency for Scotland
  • NHS and Social Work Students

  Personal care provision - Social Services
  If you are likely to require any help with domestic life and/or your personal care (dressing, bathing, feeding, transferring from wheelchair to bed, shopping or cooking, etc), then you will need to discuss this with your local (home area) Social Services. (NB: The DSA cannot be used to cover any general care requirements that you would still have if you were not a student).

  Social Services will assess your support requirements and agree an appropriate strategy and funds to cover your support needs. This may be in the form of home-help, a visiting or even resident carer.

  It is imperative that you initiate discussions with Social Services at an early stage to allow plenty of time for them to assess your needs, agree what needs to be provided, and secure the necessary funding.

  Note: Where a resident carer is necessary, the University can normally provide an adjacent room in your Hall of Residence so that your carer can be available to you throughout the night. The cost of this additional room would need to be met by Social Services or your PCT as part of your care package.

  European and International Students

  Core Academic Provision
  Subject to receiving acceptable evidence of your particular disability the University can and will provide considerable support in respect of matters such as access to assistive technology through University servers, accessible workstations, adjustable furniture, physical access to all relevant buildings, handouts in alternative formats, adjustments to teaching and assessments, induction loops in lecture rooms, additional study-skills tuition and the loan of relevant items of equipment such as digital voice recorders for use in lectures.

  Specific Provision
  More specific aspects of support outside the core academic provision can also be provided, but these are likely to incur additional cost. Such support would be accessed through external providers and the associated costs can be negotiated with these providers once your specific needs were known.

  If you think you may require access to such additional support provision we would appreciate as much notice as possible of precisely what you require. We can then contact the relevant provider to ascertain and advise you of the financial implications in advance so that we can then proceed with getting the appropriate arrangements agreed and ready to put in place when you arrive.

• How will University staff be advised of my specific needs?

  Confidentiality

  In order to ensure that you are able to access the agreed support it may be necessary to disseminate some information to your academic department(s), such as the need for print materials to be provided in alternative formats, that you may need to record lectures, have an interpreter or support worker present, or need extra time in exams.

  Such information is provided on a 'need to know' basis and only after you have given your explicit agreement. Should you wish certain details of your disability and/or support needs to remain confidential then we will respect your wishes. Your Disability Officer will discuss the details of the information to be disseminated with you during your support review.

  Method of Dissemination

  Information is primarily disseminated through a dynamic link between ASDAC's confidential records system and the University's central student records database. Agreed information is uploaded to the central student records database where it can be accessed in the following ways:

  • Departmental Administrators
    A report provides departmental administrators with details of the support requirement associated with each student on any given unit. This is primarily use when arranging the examination timetable and provides details of all the alternative requirements such as students requiring extra time, assistive software, readers, and/or scribes.
  • Academic Staff
    A report provides academic staff with details of the range of support needs associated with students on the course units for which they have responsibility. Course and Unit Coordinators use this report to prepare their teaching and assessment materials, and to ensure that their classes are accessible to all students registered to take their units.

  At other times, specific requirements may be discussed directly by telephone, e-mail or in person with departments where a specific arrangement or structural adjustment needs to be agreed.

• What are the agreed protocols for recording lectures?

  Some, but not all, disabled students are provided with recording equipment where the particular nature of their disability (e.g. poor short term working memory, poor fine motor control) will place them at a relative disadvantage when taking notes during formal contact sessions. Jupiter and Discoverer Disability reports communicate this specific support need with the note “Student to be allowed to record formal academic contact”.

  For these students, the University position on recording lectures has remained unchanged since 2005 when the joint NATFHE/Skill/Disability Rights Commission circular was accepted as expressing an acceptable and agreed University approach. All staff and eligible students are asked to continue to comply with the arrangements outlined therein.

Explore