Study services

Learning & Teaching Unit Disability Service provides a range of services to assist students with study. Services are provided on an individual basis and are aimed at facilitating independent study.

Students who wish to apply for services or adjustments to support study will need to negotiate a Disability Access Plan with the Disability Service. If you have not got a Disability Access Plan, the Getting Started link in the left hand navigation provides information about eligibility and how the process works. All services are provided on an individual basis and take into account the impact of the student's disability, the requirements of their program of study and the students views regarding their support needs.

Exams and Assessment
Lectures
Placements
Course materials
Equipment
D-Blog
Useful Links

Exams and Assessment

If your disability or medical condition impacts on you undertaking assessment or exams you may be eligible for services and adjustments to ensure you are assessed in a fair and equitable manner. Reasonable adjustments are based on individual needs and aim to minimise the impact of disability or medical issues on your performance, whilst maintaining the academic requirements of your course. Disability related adjustments need to be negotiated prior to the assessment in a timely manner. This planning should occur at the beginning of the study period once you have received your Course Handbook.

Exam Services and adjustments

Extra time
Allowance for food and drink to be brought into the exam
Allowance for rest or toilet breaks
Provision of equipment, like a laptop, trackball, dictionary or spell checker.
Alternative seating arrangements, for example an ergonomic chair, footrest, or lectern.
Assistance like a scribe or reader
Alternative venue
Early entry into the exam room or accessible parking permit.

Exam Deadlines

Exam arrangements must be agreed and documented in your Disability Access Plan no later than:

Four weeks prior to Study period 2 exam period (Mid-year)
Four Weeks prior to Study Period 5 exam period (End of year)
Two weeks prior to all other Study periods

Exam Venues

During the February and August exam periods (deferred exams), alternative examinations are held in a designated room in the Royal Banquet Room building (PDF - download Adobe Acrobat). Please see an invigilator in the Royal Banquet Room to be directed to the alternative examination room.

Course arrangements

In situations where adjustments to exams such as those outlined above are not sufficient to minimise the impact of disability, individual agreement may be reached to change the nature of the assessment. This may include negotiating arrangements such as non-exam based assessment, use of reference material in exams and verbal assessment or viva. Course arrangements must be agreed with the relevant Course Coordinator and can only be agreed when such arrangements do not interfere with the academic standards of the course. Modification to continuous assessment tasks such as assignments, tests and practicals must be negotiated with the relevant Course Coordinator. Students can be assisted with negotiation by the Disability Service where required.

Lectures & classes

The Disability Service may provide the following services to support student access to classes. Disability Service does not provide recording and note taking services for students who do not attend class, but rather support the access for students attending class.

Digital recorders
Sign Language Interpreting
Lecture transcription
Professional note taking
Peer note taking
Ergonomic furniture (chairs, lecterns etc)
Laptop loan
Portable FM transmitters

Placements

Students undertaking placements may require services or adjustments to facilitate participation. Negotiating adjustments and services should occur before the course begins and should be negotiated with the relevant Course Coordinator and Disability Service. Adjustments and services may include:

Changes to days or times of placement. This may allow for shorter days or rest breaks where required.
Venue changes. Some students are placed at specific venues which can cater to needs such as mobility access, geographic location or restricted duties.
Equipment such as ergonomic furniture, electronic stethoscopes, recording devices may be provided to support placement.
Some Sign Language support may be provided where required to facilitate placement review meetings.

Course Materials

Students may be provided with course materials in alternative formats where required. This may include provision of large print, Braille or electronic format for speaking text. Production of alternative format materials require a minimum 3 week production time so it is important that materials are requested before classes commence. Students eligible for alternative format course materials must have this service negotiated as part of their Disability Access Plan.

Equipment

Disability service equipment may be loaned to eligible students to support their study. Equipment is usually loaned for on campus use.

D-Blog

D-Blog is an online blog where students with disabilities can receive information from the University Disability Service and also engage in discussion with other students.

Useful Links

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