Guide for students

Things to think about before and when you start your course

You should start making arrangements for support and reasonable adjustments as soon as possible and before your course has started. Support will be put into place by the Disability Services Team within your university. Information about them, and how to make contact, will be on the university/college website.

Universities and colleges provide support to students with dyslexia through:

• an inclusive approach to teaching at the university/college that is provided to all students
• targeted support through adjustments for a student’s specific needs. This may be referred to as a schedule of adjustments or accommodations
• Based on diagnostic evidence, some students will be eligible for individual support. Guidance on this is provided the university/college’s disability team.

The university or college should be able to provide you with:

• information about the Student Disability Service
• information about the College/University policies for Reasonable Adjustments and Additional Arrangements for assessments and examinations.

Within your first two weeks of arrival you should make contact with:

• Head of Year/Programme Director and/or Academic Advisor/Personal Tutor
• Your mentor/supervisor/senior lecturer/course organiser
• The Disability Advisor (who might be known by a different title – you can usually contact them via the main disability email address, so don’t worry of you don’t know their name or title).

You should discuss with them what has helped in the past and ask them to help arrange support and additional assessment arrangements.

Reasonable adjustments

‘Reasonable Adjustments’ is the legal term for changes that can be made to help students fulfil their potential without extra stress. These can include:

• study skills support

• assistive technology

• one to one training in assistive technology

• copies of lecture notes/slides in advance, if available

• note takers

• permission to record lectures

• extended library loans.

Exam support might include:

• extra time to complete exams

• use of a scribe and/or a reader

• use of a computer instead of handwritten exam scripts

• use of assistive technology.

Any provision put in place is based on individual need, so if you have registered with the Student Disability Service you will be given an individual needs assessment interview. You should make an appointment with the advisor as early as possible and share any valid supporting evidence with them, such as information from school or an independent assessment report.

After meeting with the Disability Advisor, you should check that all the agreed arrangements have been put in place. You should arrange another meeting to discuss this, what has worked well and whether you have had any difficulties.

Disabled Students’ Allowance

You might also be able to apply for Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA), through Student Award Agency Scotland (SAAS). This is a grant, not a loan, to purchase extra equipment and/or software. Disability Advisors will be able to help with this.

A dyslexia assessment by a qualified assessor will be needed.  This might be arranged by the Disability Advisor if you do not have one.